• 


•:• 


I  I  I  STO KY 


ELEVENTH  REGIMENT, 

RHODE  ISLAM)  VOLUNTEERS, 

IN    THK 

WAR  OF   THK  KEUELLIOK 

!HY    R-.     \V.     KOCK. 

<  \N-TV 


Pl'BLISHKl)    »Ya 
ELEVENTH   REGIMENT  VETEllA  X  ' 


PROVIDENCE: 

PKOVIDKNCK    PRKfiS    COMPANY,    PKINTKRS. 

1881. 


5 


PREFACE 


THE  history  in  the  following  pages  has  been  prepared  by  the 
undersigned,  under  the  direction  of  a  committee  appointed  by  the 
Eleventh  Rhode  Island  Veteran  Association,  consisting  of  Com 
rades  William  A.  Mowry,  Robert  Fessenden,  Ansel  I).  Xickerson, 
Hopkins  B.  Cady  and  John  C.  Thompson. 

It  aims  to  give  a  simple  and  succinct  narrative  of  the  rise  and 
progress  of  the  regiment  from  the  first  beginnings  of  recruiting  to 
the  time  of  mustering  out  from  the  service  of  the  United  States. 

The  writer  has  drawn  freely  from  the  following  sources  of  infor 
mation,  viz.: 

The  letters  of  Chaplain  J.  B.  Gould  to  the  Providence  Journal, 
of  A.  I).  Nickerson  to  the  Pawtucket  Gazette  and  Chronicle,  of 
"  Equipment"  to  the  Providence  Journal,  and  the  private  diaries 
and  accounts  of  Comrades  Mowry,  Parkhurst,  Fessenden,  Stone, 
(Jay,  Bartlett,  "NV.  E.  Simmons,  Bowen,  AVesteott,  and  others, 
beside. the  letters  of  R.  W.  Rock  to  the  Providence  Evening 
I 'rests. 

It  would  not  be  surprising  if,  after  this  history  appears  in 
print,  many  interesting  facts  should  be  forthcoming.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  any  information  hereafter  brought  to  light  may  be 
carefully  collected  and  preserved  in  manuscript,  if  not  in  print. 

J.   C.   THOMPSON. 


M208966 


0  O  N  T  E  X  T  S  . 


PART  1. 


Introduction. 

Enthusiasm  in  Recruiting,  2. 

War  Meetings.  5. 

Filling  the  Companies.  <!. 

Companies  I  and  K.  10. 

Camp  Stevens,  12. 

Life  at  Camp  Stevens,  12. 

The  Departure,  15. 

Reception  at  New  York,  17. 

The  Sail  to  South  Amboy,  17. 

By  Rail  to  Baltimore,  18. 

At  Baltimore,  19. 

In  Washington,  20. 

Camp  at  East  Capitol  Hill,  20. 

March  to  Chain  Bridge,  21. 

First    Camp    on    the    "  Sacred 

Soil,1'  near  Chain  Bridge,  22. 
A  Speech  from  the  Colonel.  2:'>. 
Fatigue  Duty,  24. 
A  Sabbath  in  Camp,  2(5. 
An  Essay  on  Army  Mules,  2S. 
And  Army  Horses,  2l>. 
Ordered  into  Cowden's  Brigade, 

Change  of  Camp,  ,50. 
"  The  Old  Persimmon  Tree,"  31. 
The  Maine  Law,  32. 
I'p  in  the  Morning  Early.  32. 
<  >n  the  March  to  anew  Camp.  :>•'>. 
Minrr'sHill.  :*4. 


Life  at  Miner's  Hill,  :I5. 

Visitors — Brigade  Review,  35. 

Common  Life,  3(5. 

Letter-writing  Sunday,  .'57. 

Division  Review,  38. 

The  Drum  Band,  38. 

Contrasts,  3i). 

AVinter  Quarters,  41. 

Sickness  in  Camp,  41. 

Picket  duty  and  the  First  Snow 
Storm,  42. 

Changes  of  Officers  and  Promo 
tions,  4:5. 

Col.  Metcalf's  Farewell.  4.".. 

(ray  and  Grave,  44. 

Going  to  Church  on  Picket.  4<>. 

The  AVoodworth  Family,  47. 

Picket  Experiences  and  Enjoy 
ments  on  the  Lewinsville 
Road,  51. 

Gen.  Cowden's  Headquarters — 
Other  Camps— Gen.  Cowden, 
57. 

An  Unpleasant  Uncertainty,  5«». 

Boxes  from  Home,  (JO. 

Who  Goes  There?  (if). 

The     Weather  —  Dissolving 
Views,  01. 

P.akrd  Beans  and  Roast  Beef.  i»l. 


\  1 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


"  Thanksgiving,"  <>:>. 

The   Regimental    Hospital    ami 
Brigade  Changes,  ('*>. 

Skirmish  and  other  Drill,  ti". 

Brigade  Drill— Intense  Cold,(W. 

The  Chapel,  »>«.). 

The    Weather — Bathing — Quar 
ters  for  Boxes,  70. 

Various  Events,  71. 

Death  of  Hospital  Steward 
Pervear.  7->. 


Merry  Christmas  in  Camp,  74. 
Mills'  Cross  Roads,  75. 
Variety — New  Year,  7H. 
Rewiew  of  Three  Months'   Ser 
vice,  7<». 

New  Year's  and  New  Orders, HI. 
Changes  and  Orders  to  Move,  H2. 
Preparations  for  Moving,  n;i. 
Selection  of  a  Camp,  84. 
The  March  from  Miner's  Hill,  Ho. 


PART   II. 


Camp  Metealf,  H7. 

Quarters — Guaid  duty,  HH. 

Col.  Horatio  Rogers  ami  Camp 
Metcalf,  H!>. 

More  Bad  Weather — Improved 
Quarters,  !)2. 

Pay-day  and  Changes,  <>:5. 

Cold  Weather — Home  Remem 
brances—Music,  !4. 

Our  Second  Colonel's  Farewell, 
%. 

Improvements  —  Visitors  —  Our 
Hospital— Changes,  JH». 

Camp  Convalescent,  W. 

The  Lost  Sheep— Camp  Distri 
bution  and  other  Camps,  103. 

Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Hall's  House, 
104. 

Amusing  Scenes — Prizes  and 
Duties,  100. 

Trades  and  Games,  10H. 


Health — Promotions — Library — 
Visitors,  10H. 

Awake  and  Asleep,  10i>. 

Presentations,  110. 

Our  Brass  Band,  112. 

Guard  duty  at  Convalescent 
Camp,  113. 

A  Storm — Return  of  the  Wan 
derers — Promotions,  11"). 

Our  Third  Colonel — Rumors,  ll«i. 

]  )eath— A  Storm— First  Appear 
ance  of  Col.  Church  — Six 
Months'  Service,  US. 

Fairfax  Seminary  Hospital,  ll'.t. 

Discipline  —  Pay  —  Marching 
Orders,  121. 

Farewell  to  Camp  Convalescent 
— Welcome  the  Potomac  and 
Chesapeake,  12'2. 

Off  for  Norfolk  and  Suffolk — 
Flag  of  the  Cumberland,  125. 


Suffolk  and  the  Black  water. 
At  the  Front,  127. 
What  the  Rebels  tried  to  do- 
Capture  of  a  Rebel  Battery,  12*.». 
The  Routine   of  the    Eleventh, 
131. 


PART  irr. 

The    Situation— Tin-     Eleventh 

Ready,  132. 
The  Crow's  Nest  at  South  Quay 

Battery,  133. 
Death  —  Inspection  —  Statistics, 

136. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 


Vll 


Rain — Water  Couch  —  Dignita 
ries,  i:'8. 

More  Light  Wanted — Contra 
bands — Reconnoissanee  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Ninety- 
ninth  New  York,  139. 

A  Disastrous  Reconnoissanee, 
140. 

How  the  Siege  of  Suffolk  was 
Raised,  141. 

An  Illumination,  14;?. 

Rebel  Rifle  Pits,— Rebel  Relics 
and  Secesh  People,  146. 

People  we  Met,  147. 

Routine—"  Camp  Perry  "— Pig- 
gerel,  148. 

In  the  Field  — The  Deserted 
House,  150. 

The  New  Camp — Variety,  153. 

Sunday  —  White  Trash  —  Sere 
nade  to  Gen.  Corcoran,  154. 

Reported  Disaster  to  the  Elev 
enth—False  Alarm  and  March 
to  Windsor,  155. 

On  the  March — Windsor,  157. 

The  Eleventh  in  the  Advance- 
Skirmish  with  the  Rebels,  158. 

Back  to  Windsor— Cooking  Ra 
tions—Those  Hams,  !(>(). 

Barrett's  Plantation,  1<>7. 

Who  was  in  Command?  Ki!>. 

Wonder  of  the  Slaves  at  the 
Music  of  the  Band,  1<>1>. 

Orderly  Foraging,  170. 


A  Government  Team  becomes  a 
Chariot  of  Freedom,  171. 

End  of  the  Raid,  172. 

Result,  173. 

Some  other  things  that  we  Ob 
served,  174. 

Routine  —  Attendance  at  the. 
Episcopal  Church— Dress-pa 
rade,  175. 

Gen.  Terry  — Great  Service  in 
the  Methodist  Church,  17(5. 

Contraband  Service  —  Another 
Shampaign,  178. 

Second  Raid  to  the  Blackwater, 
179. 

Reflections,  183. 

Away  for  Yorktown,  184. 

Camp  at  Yorktown,  185. 

The  March  for  AVilliamsburg, 
18(5. 

Homeward  Bound,  188. 

Another  Death — Waiting  for  the 
Final  Order,  180. 

Nearest  to  Richmond,  11)0. 

On  Duty  after  Date,  1!K). 

For  Home,  Sweet  Home,  1!>1. 

The  Stowage  of  the  "John 
Rice,"  15)1. 

A  Sad  Event,  192. 

The  Glorious  Fourth,  193. 

Reception  of  the  Eleventh  Reg 
iment,  197. 

Appendix,  201. 

The  Twelfth  Regiment,  217. 


THE    ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 


PART  I. 
MIXER'S    HILL. 

Ix  that  dark  period  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  between 
the  seven  days'  battles  before  Richmond  and  the  battle  of 
Antietam,  the  temper  and  patience  of  the  loyal  north  were 
tried  to  the  utmost.  The  practical  change  of  commanders 
from  McClellan  to  Pope,  who  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
Army  of  Virginia,  which  at  first  raised  the  hopes  of  the 
naturally  hopeful,  brought  only  bitter  disappointment  and 
dissatisfaction  in  the  final  result.  The  government  saw  the 
need  of  a  far  larger  army,  and,  rising  to  the  emergency, 
called  for  three  hundred  thousand  three  years'  troops.  In 
obedience  also  to  a  popular  theory  which  suddenly  sprung 
up  and  rapidly  gained  ground,  that  a  large  force  of  nine 
months'  men  could  readily  be  obtained,  and  if  put  into  the 
field  at  once  would  probably  bring  the  war  to  a  close,  three 
hundred  thousand  nine  months'  volunteers  were  called  for, 
and  a  proclamation  was  made  that  if  by  the  15th  of  August, 
1862,  the  necessary  quota  from  each  State  was  not  forth 
coming,  a  draft  would  be  resorted  to. 

As  the  condition  of  affairs  grew  more  threatening,  and 
tin-  prospect  of  a  speedy  triumph  over  the  rebels  seemed 
more  unlikely,  the  people  at  home  began  to  look  matters 
squarely  in  the  face.  The  public  journals  presented  the 


"HISTORY  OF  THE 

exigencies  of  the  situation  in  the  plainest  language,  and 
urged  the  people  of  all  classes  to  prompt  and  continuous 
effort. 

The  single  act  of  the  government  in  calling  out  an  addi 
tional  force  of  six  hundred  thousand  troops  astonished  and 
measurably  shook  the  faith  of  the  enemy  in  their  final  tri 
umph,  while  at  the  same  time  the  spirit  of  the  Northern 
people  gave  token  that,  although  the  Union  army  had  been 
foiled  in  its  most  important  movements;  they  were  by  no 
means  disposed  to  give  up  the  contest. 

In  this  juncture  the  whole  population  of  Rhode  Island 
awakened  to  a  clearer  sense  of  the  magnitude  of  the  work, 
and  began  to  stir  each  other  up,  until,  as  war  meeting  after 
war  meeting  was  held  and  an  almost  universal  disposition  on 
the  part  of  many  to  make  sacrifices  was  manifested,  the 
excitement  rose  to  fever  heat. 

Rliode  Island's  quota  of  the  six  hundred  thousand  volun 
teers  called  for,  was  twenty-four  hundred  men,  and  the 
Eleventh  and  Twelfth  regiments  of  nine  months'  men,  raised 
and  equipped  in  a  very  brief  period,  formed  a  large  part  of 
that  quota. 

It  may  as  well  be  noted  here  that  though  in  the  language 
of  the  government,  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  nine  months' 
regiments  were  accepted  "in  lieu  of  drafted  men,"  and,  in 
the  distribution  of  bounties  after  the  war  closed,  were  so 
treated,  every  man  was  a  volunteer.  In  fact,  most,  if  not 
all  of  them,  would  have  scorned  to  have  entered  the  service 
in  any  other  way.  The  class  of  men  that  composed  the 
Eleventh  regiment  could  not  have  been  obtained  by  draft, 
and  the  authorities  at  Washington  were  only  too  ready  to 
accept  them,  though  Congress,  notwithstanding  the  efforts 
of  our  Senators  and  Representatives  to  prevent  it,  discounted 
their  more  valuable  services  on  the  technical  plea  that  they 
were  accepted  in  the  place  of  drafted  men. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  3 

In  an  account  of  the  services  of  the  Eleventh  regiment  of 
Rhode  Island  volunteers  in  the  "Great  American  Conflict," 
we  shall  tell  the  story  of  an  arduous  service  but  not  of  a 
regiment  celebrated  for  its  many  battles  with  the  enemy,  for 
they  were  not  permitted  by  the  controlling  powers  to  enter 
into  any  general  engagement.  A  strong  desire  was  mani 
fest,  however,  on  the  part  of  each  of  its  commanders  to  be 
ordered  to  the  front.  An  earnest  and  special  endeavor  was 
made  by  its  second  colonel  to  induce  the  War  Department 
in  Washington  to  execute  this  order,  that  the  laurels  of  war 
might  be  obtained  by  a  regiment  whose  morale  has  been 
rarely  excelled.  But,  as  evidence  will  be  given  in  these 
pages,  the  Eleventh  was  retained  by  the  government  for 
three  months  for  a  service  which  no  other  regiment  alone 
could  have  performed,  and  the  fighting  honors,  which  both 
officers  and  men  were  anxious  to  win,  were  denied  them. 
They  were  sent  to  the  front  in  the  last  three  months  of  their 
service,  when,  in  April,  1863,  Longstreet  with  an  estimated 
force  of  thirty  thousand  men  attempted  the  capture  of  Suf 
folk.  They  rendered  efficient  service  in  that  siege  and  in 
the  pursuit  of  the  retreating  enemy  to  the  Blackwater  river. 
Subsequently  they  were  employed  at  Yorktown  and  Wil- 
liamsburg.  For  all  this  they  received  the  hearty  approval 
of  the  generals  commanding. 

ENTHUSIASM    IN    RECRUITING. 

On  the  day  that  President  Lincoln  issued  his  call  for  three 
hundred  thousand  three  years'  men,  and  three  hundred  thou 
sand  nine  months'  men,  August  4th,  1862,  a  very  large  and 
enthusiastic  war  meeting  was  held  in  Market  Square,  Provi 
dence,  presided  over  by  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  Hon.  Jabez 
C.  Knight,  supported  by  a  large  number  of  Vice-Presidents 


HISTORY    OF    THE 

from  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  city  and  State.  Ad 
dresses  were  made  by  the  following  distinguished  citizens  of 
Rhode  Island  and  eminent  speakers  from  abroad  :  Gov. 
Sprague,  Bishop  Clark,  President  Sears,  of  Brown  Univer 
sity  ;  Rev.  A.  L.  Stone,  of  Boston,  Mass.  ;  John  L.  Swift, 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  Mass.  ;  Gen.  Isaac  Rodman,  Rev.  Harris 
Howard,  Gen.  C.  C.  Van  Zandt,  Rev.  Augustus  Woodbury, 
Hon.  Thomas  A.  Jenckes,  Hon.  Abraham  Payne,  ex-Mayor 
Rodman,  and  Col.  Nicholas  Van  Slyck. 

Thus  began  a  new  spirit  of  recruiting  in  behalf  of  old  and 
new  regiments,  which  did  not  abate  until  Rhode  Island  had 
contributed  more  than  her  share  of  soldiers  ready  to  fight 
the  battles  of  the  Union.  This  grand  mass  meeting  was 
followed  in  a  few  weeks  by  a  succession  of  meetings  in  the 
Academy  of  Music  in  Providence,  supplemented  by  meetings 
in  the  various  wards  of  the  city  and  by  still  other  meetings 
held  in  Roger  Williams  Hall  with  special  reference  to  rais 
ing  companies  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 
In  conjunction  with  these  efforts  large  numbers  of  citizens 
gave  themselves  up  to  the  business  of  encouraging  enlist 
ments  ;  places  of  business  were  closed  for  a  period  at  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  recruiting  officers  with  drummers 
and  fifers  paraded  the  streets,  and  there  was  one  grand  patri 
otic  revival.  The  spirit  to  enter  the  country's  service  in  her 
hour  of  danger  ran  from  heart  to  heart,  and  the  good  impulse 
rapidly  filled  the  quota  of  the  State. 

The  wealth  of  the  city  and  towns  was  laid  upon  the  altar 
of  patriotism,  in  order  that  provision  might  be  made  for  the 
families  and  friends  of  those  who  enlisted.  The  fact  that 
the  government  was  about  to  draft  if  volunteers  were  not 
immediately  forthcoming,  brought  into  prominence  the 
thought  of  the  hardships  that  many  families  must  undergo 
if  their  chief  support  were  taken  away,  and  this  raised  the 


ELKVKXTII     HK<!IMKXT.  5 

question  at  once,  what  should  be  done  by  those  who  remained 
behind  to  aid  the  families  of  those  who  would  either  volun 
teer  or  else  be  compelled  to  enter  the  army  ?  What  should 
the  State,  the  city,  and  what  should  individuals  do?*  As  a 
draft  was  greatly  deprecated,  bounties  were  offered  by  the 
towns  and  by  the  State  to  encourage  men  to  enter  the  re°i- 
ments  whose  ranks  had  been  thinned  by  battle  and  disease,  and 
when  recruiting  for  nine  months'  men  began,  and  it  became 
apparent  that  many  men  who  had  families  were  willing  to 
enlist  from  patriotic  motives,  the  enthusiasm  to  make  this 
provision  was  equal  to  the  emergency,  and  took  tangible 
form  in  a  succession  of  war  meetings,  before  alluded  to, 
held  in  the  Academy  of  Music. 

WAR    MEETINGS. 

The  first  of  these  was  held  September  8th,  18G2.  A  large 
audience  assembled,  eloquent  addresses  were  made  and  a 
committee  was  appointed,  with  instructions  to  report  at  an 
adjourned  meeting  one  week  from  date,  what  should  be 
done.  The  second  meeting  was  held  September  loth,  and 
the  report  of  the  committee  recommended  that  four  dollars 
per  week  should  be  provided  for  each  family  and  that  seventy 
thousand  dollars  should  be  raised  by  voluntary  subscription. 
The  enthusiasm  of  this  meeting  reached  its  height  when  one 

*  Bounties  were  offered  by  the  different  towns  in  the  State,  varying  in  amount 
from  one  hundred  to  five  hundred  dollars  for  each  recruit.  In  some  towns  an 
additional  sum  per  week  was  added  for  the  families  of  enlisted  men.  This 
action  of  the  towns  produced  dissatisfaction,  and  Governor  Sprague  convened 
the  Legislature  to  consider  this  and  other  matters  pertaining  to  the  war.  The 
Legislature  at  that  session  voted  from  the  State,  a  bounty  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  for  each  nine  months'  volunteer.  The  citizens  of  Providence  by 
subscription  provided  eighty-five  dollars  for  each  recruit.  The  City  Council 
voted  four  dollars  per  week  for  the  families  of  the  men,  all  of  which,  with  the 
government  pay  for  nine  months,  amounted,  for  the  men  enlisted  from  Provi 
dence,  to  $508. 


0  1IISTOKY    OF    THE 

of  the  speakers*  began  with  the  remark,  "I  am  in  favor 
of  the  marriage  of  muscle  and  money,"  and,  at  the  conclu 
sion  of  his  address,  which  called  forth  the  wildest  applause, 
a  well-known  wealthy  citizen f  stepped  to  the  front  of  the 
platform  and  offered  one  thousand  dollars.  This  was  fol 
lowed  by  another  offer  of  like  amount,  and  still  another, 
until  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  had  been 
pledged.  A  committee  was  then  appointed  to  solicit  further 
contributions,  and  the  meeting  was  adjourned  for  one  week. 
At  that  meeting,  September  22d,  the  committee  reported  that 
more  than  sixty-nine  thousand  dollars  had  been  secured. 
With  this  assurance  to  the  men  who  were  ready  to  take  their 
lives  in  their  hands  and  do  battle  for  their  country,  the  ten 
companies  of  the  Eleventh  Rhode  Island  were  almost  imme-' 
diately  filled  and  the  Twelfth  regiment  was  well  advanced. 
The  war  meetings  in  the  various  wards  began  September 
10th,  and  were  continued  from  week  to  week,  enthusiasm 
being  aroused  by  stirring  speeches  and  lively  martial  music. 
Pawtucket  and  Central  Falls  held  similar  meetings  and  con 
tributed  two  companies  for  this  regiment. 

FILLING    THE    COMPANIES. 

As  nearly  as  we  can  ascertain,  recruiting  for  the  Rhode 
Island  Eleventh  began  in  August,  1802,  and  the  honor  of 
enlisting  the  first  recruits  belongs  to  Lieut.  William  Stone  and 
Lieut.  M.  O.  Darling.  Lieut.  Stone's  recruiting  station  was 
at  Hoyle  Tavern.  These  recruits  were  sent  to  Camp  Stevens, 
on  Dexter  Training  Ground,  in  Providence.  Lieut.  Stone 
having  experience  in  drill,  was  assigned  by  Capt.  A.  C. 

*  Rev.  Sidney  Deun. 

t  Hon.  Henry  Lippitt.    The  same  gentleman  also  offered  a  thousand  dollars 
to  the  ward  that  would  raise  the  tirst  company. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMEXT.  7 

Eddy,  who  was  in  command  of  this  cam]),  to  the  duty  of 
organizing  and  drilling  the  different  companies  as  they  arrived 
on  the  ground. 

Companies  A,  C,  I),  E,  G,  and  II  were  recruited  in  the 
third,  fourth,  fifth,  seventh,  sixth,  second,  and  first  wards 
of  the  city  of  Providence,  under  the  stimulus  of  meetings 
held  in  the  different  ward-rooms,  and  in  a  number  of  instances, 
in  the  open  air,  addressed  by  prominent  officials,  business, 
professional  and  military  men, — some  just  from  the  fire  of 
conflict  and  at  home  to  recruit  their  regiments.  Street  parades 
were  made  and  bands  of  music  added  their  inspiration. 

The  headquarters  of  Company  A,  of  the  third  ward,  was 
in  their  ward-room  on  South  Main  street.  War  meetings 
were  constantly  held  in  the  ward-room,  and  in  the  open  air 
at  the  junction  of  South  Main  and  Wickenden  streets. 
Shepard's  Cornet  Band  furnished  music  on  several  of  these 
occasions. 

The  war  meetings  of  the  fourth  ward  were  held  in  their 
ward-room,  then  located  where  the  City  Hall  now  stands. 
The  recruits  of  the  fourth  and  fifth  wards  formed  Company 
C,  Capt.  Charles  H.  Parkhurst,  and  prominent  in  the  efforts 
for  recruiting  were  Messrs.  Parkhurst,  Davidson  and  C.  F. 
Phillips. 

The  fifth  ward  pitched  a  recruiting  tent  on  the  old  training 
ground  adjoining  the  Beneficent  Church,  now  called  Abbott 
Park.  •  Open-air  war  meetings  were  held  there  and  in  the 
ward-room,  addressed  by  speakers  aglow  with  enthusiasm. 

Company  D,  Capt.  Gordon,  was  composed  mainly  of 
seventh- ward  recruits,  and  we  believe  a  portion  of  those 
recruited  for  the  sixth  ward.  Lively  and  enthusiastic  war 
meetings  were  held  in  the  ward-room. 

Company  E  was  formed  of  sixth  ward  recruits.  Messrs. 
William  E.  Stone  and  M.  ().  Darling  recruited  two  hundred 


S  HISTORY    OF    THE 

and  eight  men  tor  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  regiments. 
Their  tents  were  at  the  Hoyle  Tavern  and  at  the  junction  of 
Broadway  and  High  street,  in  Olneyville.  James  II.  Hud 
son  also  recruited  here.  To  encourage  enlistments  war 
meetings  were  held  in  the  ward-room  and  in  the  open  air  at 
the  junction  of  Broadway  and  High  street.  This  company 
received  the  one  thousand  dollars  offered  by  Hon.  Henry 
Lippitt  to  the  company  that  should  first  have  its  full  comple 
ment  of  enlisted  men.  The  full  number  was  obtained  on 
Wednesday,  September  24th,  1862,  at  eleven  o'clock.  Com 
pany  G  filled  their  quota  at  twelve  o'clock  on  the  same  day, 
but  Mr.  Lippitt  decided  that  the  award  belonged  to  Com 
pany  E. 

Company  G,  Capt.  Thomas,  formed  the  second  ward  com 
pany.  A  recruiting  tent  was  pitched  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Great  Bridge.  Enthusiastic  war  meetings  were  held  to 
encourage  recruiting.  It  was  but  an  hour  behind  Company 
E  in  enlisting  the  requisite  number  of  men. 

The  first  ward  company,  H,  was  recruited  by  Capt.  Joel 
Metcalf,  whose  office  was  in  a  building  where  the  bell-tower 
now  stands  at  the  junction  of  Benefit  and  North  Main  streets. 
Open-air  war  meetings  were  held  in  that  locality,  and  a  suc 
cession  of  spirited  meetings  to  stimulate  enlistments  were 
held  in  the  ward-room.  Martial  music  aided  to  increase  the 
enthusiasm. 

In  the  various  wards,  war  meetings  were  held  in  the  after 
noon  as  well  as  in  the  evening.  Street  parades  were  made, 
as  before  stated,  places  of  business  were  closed  in  the  latter 
part  of  September  after  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  that 
the  people  might  give  themselves  more  fully  to  the  work. 

Companies  B  and  F  were  recruited  from  Pawtucket,  east 
side,  and  Smithfield  or  Central  Falls,  and  from  Pawtucket, 
west  side,  then  in  North  Providence.  Great  exertions  were 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  9 

made  by  these  towns  to  fill  their  quotas,  and  much  enthusiasm 
was  finally  awakened  in  the  effort. 

Capt.  C.  W.  Thrasher  and  Lieut.  Thomas  Moies  were 
chiefly  instrumental  in  recruiting  Company  B  in  Pawtucket 
and  Central  Falls.  Charles  II.  Scott,  afterwards  sergeant- 
major  of  the  Eleventh,  was  a  recruiting  officer  and  recruited 
for  this  company. 

Capt.  Taft  and  Lieut.  Beatty  had  a  recruiting  rendezvous 
at  Armory  Hall,  Pawtucket,  and  enlisted  men  for  Company 
F,  called  then  the  North  Providence  Company. 

Enthusiasm  in  raising  men  for  the  nine  months'  regiments 
grew  somewhat  slowly,  but  increased  greatly  in  the  month  of 
September.  A  Avar  meeting  was  held  August  22d,  addressed 
by  C.  B.  Farnsworth,  Rev.  Dr,  Blodgett,  W.  W.  Blodgett, 
C.  W.  Thrasher,  and  others,  but  no  great  interest  was 
awakened.  This  was  followed  early  in  September  by  a  grand 
military  display  and  parade,  in  which  five  companies  partici 
pated.  A  succession  of  war  meetings  were  held  in  Armory 
Hall,  one  of  the  largest  meetings  being  addressed  by  Gov. 
Sprague,  Francis  W.  Miner,  Rev.  Drs.  Clapp  and  Swain, 
Revs.  Lyman  Whiting  and  Sidney  Dean,  Dr.  G.  S.  Stevens, 
Chaplain  Wocrdbury,  William  M.  Rodman,  Major  Edwin 
Metcalf  and  Capt.  William  B.  Weeden. 

At  this  meeting  it  was^ voted  to  meet  for  drill  on  the  com 
mon  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  to  close  stores  arid 
places  of  business  at  the  same  hour  until  the  quotas  of  North 
Providence,  Pawtucket  and  Smithfield  were  filled. 

Companies  B  and  F  were  full  on  or  before  the  19th  of 
September,  18G2,  which  was  five  days  earlier  than  the  first 
of  the  ward  companies  of  Providence  was  reported  full.  A 
company  fund  of  one  thousand  dollars  was  provided  for 
Company  B,  by  the  patriotic  citizens  of  Pawtuckef  and  Cen 
tral  Falls.  Provision  was  also  made  for  the  families  of 
volunteers. 


10  HISTORY    OF    THE 

COMPANIES    I    AND    K. 

Messrs.  Joseph  H.  Kendrick,  William  A.  Mowry,  Albert 
C.  Howard  and  Edwin  II.  Burlingame  were  the  first  movers 
in  the  formation  of  Companies  I  and  K.  The  plan  of 
raising  companies  from  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso 
ciation  was  suggested  by  Messrs.  Kendrick  and  Mowry,  after 
the  former  had  been  considering  the  question  of  enlisting  in 
a  company  organized  for  the  Twelfth  regiment  by  Capt. 
C.  Henry  Alexander. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  held  September  2d,  1802,  to 
consider  this  subject,  J.  II.  Kendrick  was  appointed  recruit 
ing  officer,  and  recruiting  began  in  the  lecture-room  of  the 
Association.  For  some  days  little  progress  was  made,  but 
when  it  became  known  that  the  city  would  make  provision 
for  the  families  of  those  who  enlisted,  and  that  the  City 
Council  and  State  made  further  provision,  Companies  I  and 
K  were  filled  in  two  or  three  davs,  and  a  part  of  Capt. 
Cheney's  company  for  the  Twelfth  regiment. 

This  movement  was  stimulated  by  large  and  spirited  war 
meetings  in  Roger  Williams  Hall,  on  the  llth  of  Septem 
ber,  in  the  afternoon,  and  on  the  loth  of  September,  in  the 
evening. 

At  the  meeting  on  the  llth,  addresses  were  made  by 
ex-Mayor  Rodman,  Dr.  Swain,  Bishop  Clark,  Revs.  Lyman 
Whiting  and  J.  B.  Gould,  Rev.  Mr.  Keyser  and  Rev.  Sid 
ney  Dean,  and  at  the  close  of  the  meeting  it  was  announced 
that  at  the  next  meeting  the  speakers  would  all  be  volunteers. 

The  second  meeting  was  held  September  15th,  in  the 
evening.  John  Kingsbury,  Esq.,  presided.  Addresses  were 
made  by  W.  A.  Mowry,  J.  II.  Kendrick,  II.  E.  Simmons, 
Edward  C.  Coggeshall  and  F.  P.  Brown.  The  Orpheus 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  11 

Club  sang  spirited  patriotic  sonars,  and  "'Joe  Greene"  added 
the  charm  of  his  bugle. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  character  of  the  addresses  made 
by  volunteers  in  the  Association  companies,  we  add  a  brief 
account,  not  reported  in  the  daily  papers  at  the  time  : 

At  this  meeting  a  gentleman*  who  had  that  day  enlisted, 
was  called  out  and  spoke  substantially  as  follows  :  "  It  is 
clearly  the  duty  of  some  to  enlist  and  devote  themselves  to 
their  country.  The  unity  of  the  nation  must  be  preserved. 
One  section  of  the  country  must  not  be  permitted  to  conspire, 
in  the  interest  of  slavery,  for  the  overthrow  of  this  great 
republic,  and  carry  their  conspiracy  to  a  successful  issue. 
We  are  to-day  making  for  future  ages  an  important  chapter 
in  the  history  of  the  world's  advancement.  Who  shall 
volunteer  for  the  war?  Many  say,  'I  can  go,  because  1 
have  no  wife  and  children  to  leave  at  home.'  Fellow 
citizens,  I  wish  to  say  to  you,  to-day,  that  I  shall  go  to  the 
war  because  I  have  a  wife  and  two  boys  to  leave  at  home. 
I  am  unwilling  that,  in  the  years  to  come,  when  this  chapter 
in  our  country's  history  has  been  closed  up,  when  those  boys 
of  mine  shall  ask  me,  i  Father,  what  did  you  do  in  the 
war?  '  I  shall  be  obliged  to  say,  'nothing  ;  I  staid  at  home.' 
No  patriotic  father  who  can  go,  should  be  obliged  to  tell  his 
boys  that." 

As  might  be  expected,  this  short  speech  "brought  down 
the  house."  Many  persons  to-day  remember  that  remark. 

Rev.  James  C.  White,  pastor  of  the  Free  Congregational 
Church,  Roger  Williams  Hall,  delivered  an  address  to  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  volunteers,  Sunday, 
September  21st,  taking  for  his  text,  "  Cursed  be  he  that 
dot-til  the  work  of  the-  Lord  deceitfully,"  from  Jeremiah 
48th  chapter,  10th  verse. 

*Capt.  William  A.  Mowry. 


12  HISTORY    OF    THE 

On  the  23d  of  September,  these  companies  marched  to 
Camp  Stevens  headed  by  the  Mayor,  Hon.  Jabez  C.  Knight, 
Col.  Metcalf  and  Chaplain  Gould,  all  mounted,  accompanied 
by  Shepard's  Cornet  Band,  citizens  and  friends. 

CAMP    STEVENS. 

On  the  10th  day  of  September,  1862,  a  camp  was  formed 
by  order  of  the  Adjutant  General  of  the  Rhode  Island 
militia,  on  Dexter  Training  Ground  in  Providence,  and  as 
fast  as  recruited,  most  of  the  enlisted  men  of  the  Eleventh 
regiment  proceeded  to  that  rendezvous.  Capt.  A.  C.  Eddy 
was  commandant  of  this  camp,  which  was  named  Camp 
Stevens,  in  honor  of  Gen.  Isaac  Ingalls  Stevens,  who  had 
recently  fallen  in  battle. 

As  the  companies  were  filled  they,  in  some  instances, 
voted  for  their  own  commissioned  and  non-commissioned 
officers,  and  in  most,  if  not  all  cases,  these  preferences  were 
respected  bv  the  Governor  and  authorities  in  command. 
Numbers  of  the  men  who  were  enlisted  in  August  or  in  the 
early  part  of  September,  were  not  required  to  go  into  camp 
at  once,  and  therefore  it  was  not  until  the  close  of  September 
that  all  the  men  were  on  the  ground. 

LIFE    AT    CAMP    STEVEXS. 

From  the  day  of  their  arrival  at  Camp  Stevens  until  their 
departure,  the  men  were  drilled  in  the  duties  and  evolutions 
of  the  soldier  ;  but  the  boys  could  always  manage  to  mix  some 
fun  with  the  sober  duties  of  every  day.  There  was  guard 
and  police  duty  ;  squad,  company  and  battalion  drill,  and 
drill  in  the  manual  of  arms  for  beginners ;  for  a  large 
proportion  could  not  readily  handle  a  musket,  but  could  far 


ELEVENTH    K'K(JIMEXT.  13 

more  easily  smoke  a  pipe.  Then  came  the  inevitable  dress- 
parade,  at  which,  in  due  time,  the  Eleventh  became  unusu 
ally  expert.  In  all  the.se  exercises  the  improvement  conse 
quent  upon  continual  practice  was  marked  alid  satisfactory. 
Many  had  their  first  experience  in  drawing  and  eating 
government  rations,  in  wearing  government  clothes,  in 
washing  at  the  pump  upon  a  cool  morning,  in  running  the 
guard  at  night  and  stealing  back  in  the  gray  dawn,  and  in 
all  the  pranks  incidental  to  such  a  lite. 

Every  day  brought  a  great  influx  of  visitors,  and  the  fre 
quent  greetings  of  friends  when  the  men  were  off  duty,  and 
many  a  comfort  and  remembrance,  cheered  the  boys  on  these 
occasions.  There  were  ludicrous  experiences,  too,  which 
might  be  related  if  space  would  permit.  Who  can  forget  a 
memorable  rainy  Sunday,  when  everything  was  afloat,  when 
faces  were  long  and  sleep  at  night  decidedly  uncomfortable, 
with  enough  of  hardship  to  give  a  hint  of  what  might  be 
expected  in  actual  service.  On  this  same  day,  the  28th  of 
September,  the  regiment  attended  divine  service  in  the 
Mathewson  Street  Methodist  Church,  and  listened  to  a'  dis 
course  from  the  Rev.  Sidney  Dean,  whose  text  on  that  occa 
sion  was  from  Isaiah  41st  chapter,  9th  and  10th  verses: 
"Thou  art  my  servant ;  I  have  chosen  thee,  and  not  cast 
thec  away.  Fear  thou  not;  for  I  am  with  thee;  be  not 
dismayed  ;  for  I  am  thy  God.  I  will  strengthen  thee  ;  yea, 
I  will  help  thee  ;  yea,  1  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand 
of  my  righteousness."  Topic:  The  mission  of  the  loyal 
American  soldier,  and  the  qualifications  necessary  to  ensure 
his  success. 

The  regiment  performed  honorable  duty  on  the  4th  of 
October  as  escort  at  the  funeral  obsequies  of  Gen.  Isaac 
Hodman,  of  South  Kingstown,  an  unselfish  patriot  who 
began  his  career  as  a  soldier  by  raising  a  company  of  volun- 


14  HISTOKV    OF    THK 

tcors  for  the  Second  Rhode  Island  regiment.  He  was  chosen 
their  captain  and  fought  bravely  at  the  first  battle  of  Bull 
Run.  He  followed  the  fortunes  of  Burnside  in  his  North 
Carolina  campaign,  and  in  ten  months  rose  to  the  rank  of 
brigadier  general.  At  the  battle  of  Antrctam  he  fell,  mor 
tally  wounded,  while  acting  as  commander  of  the  Third 
Division  of  the  Ninth  Corps. 

The  last  Sunday  in  Camp  Stevens  was  passed  in  the  recep 
tion  of  visitors  and  of  friends  generally.  Jn  the  morning 
the  Christian  Association  companies  held  religious  services, 
to  which  all  were  invited.  ' 

Monday,  October  6th,  the  day  of  departure,  was  a  day  of 
great  preparation  and  confusion  ;  of  business  transactions  ; 
of  the  reception  of  a  few  last  comforts  and  mementos  with 
which  to  overload  knapsacks ;  of  the  mustering  into  the 
United  States  service,  by  Capt.  Silvey,  of  the  United  States 
army  ;  of  the  presentation  of  an  elegant  set  of  colors  to  the 
regiment,  by  the  ladies  of  Providence  ;  of  receiving  a  por 
tion  of  the  bounty  ;  of  farewells  and  sad  partings  with  those 
who  5vere  near  and  dear,  and  with  whom  some  would  meet 
no  more  on  earth. 

Nothing  marred  the  history  of  the  regiment  up  to  this 
date  but  the  failure  to  receive  all  the  money  that  had  been 
promised  to  the  men  before  their  departure.  This  failure  to 
receive  the  promised  bounty  led  Company  G,  parts  of  Compa 
nies  H,  A  and  E,  to  remain  behind,  rather  than  trust  the 
promises  of  those  authorities  in  which  all  the  other  compa 
nies  were  ready  to  put  confidence.  Those  who  remained 
behind  until  the  next  day  ought  not,  however,  to  be  greatly 
blamed  for  demanding  an  exact  fulfillment  of  the  contract. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  15 

THE    PKI'AiriTKK. 

With  knapsack  and  banner  and  drum,  after  a  deal  of 
preparation,  we  left  Camp  Stevens  as  the  sun  descended  below 
the  horizon,  and  marched  to  the  cars  at  Olneyville.  The 
men,  in  good  spirits,  went  singing  on  their  way,  and  multi 
tudes  of  people,  of  both  sexes,  friends  and  citizens,  thronged 
the  line  of  march  and  waved  and  cheered  them  on.  The 
short  march  over,  after  a  tedious  waiting  for  the  cars,  and  a 
necessarily  long  time  in  getting  places,  all  were  seated;  the 
signal  was  given,  and  a  long  train  of  twenty  or  more  cars 
rolled  out  of  sight  of  home  and  friends  ;  the  great  -back  bur 
dens,  unwittingly  overloaded  by  kind  friends  and  the  boys 
themselves,  resting  on  the  bottom  of  the  cars. 

The  men  went  onward,  in  a  jolly  mood,  till  calming 
down  as  night  advanced,  wearied  by  the  exertions  and  excite 
ment  of  the  day,  they  were  constrained  to  sleep  as  best  they 
might. 

About  midnight  we  reached  Groton,  and  in  due  time 
marched  on  board  the  steamer  Commonwealth.  Up  to  the 
time  of  reaching  New  York,  next  morning,  no  trouble  had 
been  experienced  on  account  of  scarcity  of  rations,  or  of 
their  inferior  quality.  In  Camp  Stevens  we  had  been  well 
supplied  with  good  and  substantial  food.  We  could  not  tell 
of  meat  .so  lively  that  it  crawled  out  of  our  haversacks  and 
crawled  overboard;  nor  of  bread  so  hard  that  it  must*  be 
broken  with  a  hammer  before  it  could  be  eaten.  A  history 
of  the  regiment  that  preceded  us  must  suffice  for  tales  of  that 
sort.  Our  trip  thus  far  was  altogether  too  pleasant  to  lead 
us  to  complain  very  loudly  about  anything.  We  only  men 
tion  the  fact  that  Companies  I  and  K,  Capts.  Kendrick  and 
Mowry,  and  others,  were  unexpectedly  treated  to  a  deck 
passage  through  some  lack  of  preparation,  or  misfortune,  or 


1(5  HISTORY    OF    THE 

mismanagement  of  some  sort.  This  was  not  the  way  the 
boys  were  accustomed  to  go  to  New  York.  Owing  to  dirt 
and  bad  smells  in  some  localities  it  was  very  disagreeable, 
and  to  some  it  seemed  unbearable.  Complaints  about  this 
were  as  abundant  as  leaves  in  autumn  and  as  sharp  as  the 
crack  of  a. rifle.  It  is  pleasant  to  know,  however,  that  our 
excellent  and  estimable  Colonel  and  our  gentlemanly  Cap 
tains  came  in  for  no  share  of  such  maledictions.  It  seemed 
evident,  however,  that  we  were  not  considered  second-class 
passengers,  for  the  men  were  allowed  all  the  privileges  of 
other  passengers,  not  the  least  of  which  were  the  fine  accom 
modations  for  washing,  which  these  splendid  boats  afforded, 
to  which  we  did  ample  justice  in  the  morning. 

There  was,  however,  enough  to  amuse  as  well  as  to  com 
plain  of.  As  the  time  of  retiring  came,  every  man  cast 
about  for  the  best  spot  ;  the  principal  aim  of  some  being  to 
get  good  air.  Hard  beds  were  not  feared,  lint  desirable  places 
for  locating  them  were  at  a  premium.  Here  was  an  Orderly 
wedged  into  the  smallest  possible  space  on  the  deck  side  of 
the  ladies'  cabin,  while  another  gentleman,  well  known  in 
educational  circles,  lay  down  in  the  most  approved  style1  on 
the  other  side.  Two  narrow  passages  on  each  side  of  this 
door,  sufficient,  if  one  took  off  all  superfluous  clothing,  to 
accommodate  two  persons,  were  Jield  above  par,  and  the  rev 
erend  gentleman  who  occupied  one-  led,  declared  it  could  not 
be.  parted  with  short  of  a  "quarter."  Friends  at  home 
would  have  laughed  heartily  if  they  could  have  seen  this 
group  of  a  do/en  or  more,  and  known  who  they  were. 
But  sleep  soon  overcame  us,  and  all  passed  into  the  land  of 
dreams  to  awake  quite  refreshed  in  the  morning.  The  floor 
of  the  gentlemen's  cabin  and  the  saloon  were  tilled  with  men 
who  passed  the  night  as  comfortably,  certainly,  as  in  their 
tents  on  the  camp  ground. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  17 

We  reached  New  York  soon  after  nine  o'clock.  A  bright 
morning  sun  made  glorious  the  landscape  as  we  passed  up 
the  Narrows.  As  we  approached  the  city  we  had  a  fine  view 
of  the  monster  "  Great  Eastern."  The  men  were  in  excel 
lent  humor  and  ready  for  another  day's  journey. 

RECEPTION    AT    NEW    YORK. 

Immediately  upon  landing  we  proceeded  to  the  steamer 
Joseph  Belknap,  which  was  to  take  us  in  due  time  to  South 
Amboy.  Here  the  regiment  deposited  their  knapsacks  and 
marched  back  to  Castle  Garden  barracks.  The  sun  was 
warm  and  grew  still  hotter  as  the  day  advanced.  A  detail 
of  New  York  police  watched  over  us  while  we  waited  as 
patiently  as  possible  for  our  breakfast.  A  donation  from 
somebody,  consisting  of  bad  ham,  soup,  bad  coffee  and  bad 
bread,  utterly  unfit  for  a  Rhode  Island  soldier  or  any  one  else, 
and  wholly  unworthy  of,  if  not  disgraceful  to,  the  great 
and  wealthy  city  of  New  York,  was  served  to  us  on  this 
occasion.  Fruits,  including  peaches  and  other  refreshments, 
were  freely  bought  by  the  men  to  supply  the  place  of  these 
detestable  rations.  We  gained  a  good  reputation  in  this 
brief  stay,  for  the  New  York  police  declared  us  the  best 
behaved  regiment  that  had  passed  through  their  city. 

THE    SAIL    TO    SOUTH    AMBOY. 

At  one  o'clock  we  were  again  on  board  the  Joseph  Belknap, 
.and  soon  on  our  way  to  South  Amboy.  The  sail  was  fine 
all  the  way,  and  proved  one  of  the  richest  sweets  among  the 
bitter  that  must  mingle  on  such  a  journey.  Down  New 
York  bay  we  passed,  and  along  the  beautiful  shore  of  Staten 
Island,  lined  with  its  delightful  villas,  while  innumerable 
groups  of  ladies,  gentlemen  and  children  upon  the  shore,  gave 


18  HISTORY    OF    THE 

us  the  heartiest  of  greetings  and  made  the  entire  passage 
an  ovation.  AVe  steamed  through  Newark  bay  with  its 
attractive  surroundings,  and  entered  the  Kill  Von  Kull  open 
ing  by  a  deep  and  narrow  passage  into  the  South  Bay,  and 
at  about  half-past  two  o'clock  landed  at  South  Amboy. 

ItV    HAIL    TO    BALTIMOKK. 

Iii  due  season  we  seated  ourselves  in  the  meanest  string  of 
cars  that  ever  pretended  to  be  passenger  cars.     They  appeared 
to  have  been  made  in  the  time  of  the  flood.     They  were 
dirty,  without  cushioned  seats,   no  backs,  and  other  features 
wholly  indescribable.      On    we   went   through   the    afternoon 
and- evening,   arriving  at  Camden  about  ten   o'clock.     We 
were  ferried  across  the  river  to  Philadelphia  and  found  our 
selves,  about  eleven  o'clock,  marching  for  the  Cooper's  Shop 
Refreshment    Saloon,    where   so  many   hundreds   of   Union 
regiments  had  been  generously  and  nobly  entertained.     The 
opportunity  to  refresh   ourselves   with  a  copious   application 
of  clean  water  was  not  the  least  of  our  blessings  at  this  time. 
The  bill  of  fare  consisted  of  boiled  ham,  Bologna  sausages, 
excellent  bread,  butter,  cheese,  pickles,  and  invigorating  hot 
coffee.      When   we    had    concluded   our  repast  the   rousing 
cheers  of  the  men  for  everybody   and   everything  connected 
with  the   establishment,    told   how   fully   the   reception    was 
appreciated.      "God  bless  Philadelphia,"  was  in  the   mouth 
of  every  man  in   the  regiment,   and  words  cannot  tell  how 
deeply  we  were  impressed  with  so  glorious  a  reception  ;  for, 
though  it  was  past  midnight  as  we  marched  to  the  cars  for 
Baltimore,  flags  in  abundance  were  waved  over  our  heads 
and   hundreds  of  people    were   in  the  streets  to  cheer  us  on 
the  way  and  bid  us  God-speed. 

About  one  o'clock  we  took  freight  cars,   having   a    seat 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  19 

around  the  outside  and  one  in  the  middle,  for  Baltimore.  It 
was  an  enchanting  moonlight  night,  revealing  dimly  the 
beauty  of  the  country  through  which  we  passed.  At  day- 
dawn  we  reached  Perryville,  at  the  head  of  Chesapeake  bay, 
Havre  de  Grace  being  on  the  opposite  bank.  About  half  of 
the  train  passed  over  quite  early,  and  the  remainder  about 
half-past  six  o'clock.  The  hour  or  more  of  delay  was  a 
season  of  no  little  enjoyment.  Here  we  met  the  Eighteenth 
Connecticut  and  exchanged  friendly  greetings.  The  scene 
up  and  down  the  river  was  charming,  and  we  were  treated 
to  a  sunrise  beautiful  beyond  description.  The  ride  to  Balti 
more,  which  city  we  reached  about  ten  o'clock  Wednesday, 
was  full  of  pleasure  tempered  slightly  by  delays  when  other 
trains  had  the  right  of  way. 

AT    BALTIMORE. 

Leaving  the  cars  about  eleven  o'clock,  we  were  soon 
enveloped  in  clouds  of  dust,  marching  through  long  and 
muddy  streets,  under  the  rays  of  a  burning  sun,  and,  as  it 
seemed  to  the  men,  an  unnecessarily  long  route,  to  the  cars  for 
Washington.  It  tried  the  men  to  the  utmost.  We  were 
halted  at  the  depot  and  thence  marched  to  the  refreshment 
saloon  provided  for  the  volunteers  of  the  Union,  where  we 
partook  of  an  excellent  and  substantial  repast  from  well-laid 
tables,  and,  as  at  Philadelphia,  we  were  treated  like  men. 
A  great  many  Union  flags,  some  of  them  splendid  affairs, 
were  displayed  on  the  line  of  march  through  the  city,  and 
the  kind  treatment  we  received  at  the  hands  of  the  citizens 
of  the  Monumental  City  was  an  agreeable  disappointment. 
We  started  in  box  cars  at  three  o'clock  for  Washington,  pass 
ing  through  a  fine  country,  ran  for  seventeen  miles,  and  then, 
lest  we  should  interfere  with  other  trains,  waited  until  eight 


20  HISTORY    OF    THE 

o'clock.  The  evening  was  tine,  and  the  camp  tires  reveal 
ing  several  regiments  which  we  passed  on  our  route,  lent 
additional  beauty  to  the  scenery.  At  eleven  o'clock  we 
were  in  Washington,  at  the  Soldiers'  Home.  A  not  very 
palatable  meal  was  provided,  but  rather  better  than  we  had 
been  led  to  anticipate.  An  hour  and  a  half  later  we  retired 
to  rest  in  the  barracks  near  the  Capitol.  Few  of  the  men, 
during  this  tedious  journey,  had  eight  hours'  sleep,  but  they 
bore  it  with  great  good  humor,  officers  and  privates  sharing 
very  much  alike.  The  men  were  allowed  large  liberty  on 
the  whole  route,  and  proved  themselves  worthy  of  the  confi 
dence. 

IN     WASHINGTON. 

Robin  Hood  and  his  merry  men  could  hardly  have  been  a 
merrier  set  of  fellows  than  the  thousand  men  from  the  homes 
of  Little  Rhodv,  that  awoke  on  Thursday  morning,  October 
9th,  refreshed  by  a  few  hours'  sleep,  after  a  journey  of  nearly 
five  hundred  miles.  At  seven  o'clock,  the  reveille  aroused 
us  from  our  slumbers  and  we  made  preparation  for  the  day's 
duties.  A  soldier's  toilet  was  quickly  made,  and  breakfast  was 
served  to  each  man  individually.  The  few  hours  before  we 
fell  into  line  were  faithfully  improved.  Letter-writing  was 
almost  universal.  Sight-seeing  was  enjoyed  by  many.  Some 
fell  into  the  hands  of  barbarians  and  returned  to  their  fellows 
looking  much  like  monkeys  minus  a  caudal  appendage. 
About  twelve  o'clock  we  took  up  our  line  of  inarch  over  a 
hot  and  dusty  road,  Col.  Metcalf  ahead  and  on  foot,  and  at 
about  half-past  one  o'clock  halted  on  East  Capitol  Hill. 

CAMP    AT    EAST    CAPITOL    HILL. 

It  will  not  soon  be  forgotten  that  this  hill  was  composed 
of  a  clayey  material,  like  polishing-powder,  hard  beneath 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  21 

tin*  surface,  very  muddy  when  wet,  and  when  dry,  movable 
as  the  sands  of  the  desert.  We  were  near  the  east  branch 
of  the  Potomac.  The  afternoon  was  idly  spent,  and  towards 
night  many  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  bathing. 

Here  we  had  our  first  experience  of  sleeping  without 
shelter,  under  the  broad  canopy  of  heaven.  It  was  rather 
startling  to  some,  but  down  we  went,  officers  and  men  slept 
like  tops,  and  awoke  in  the  morning  with  blankets  wet  with 
dew  on  the  outside,  but  bodies  warm  beneath.  The  tents 
arrived  and  were  speedily  pitched  in  the  sun-dried  soil,  and, 
notwithstanding  rain  in  the  afternoon,  and  hard  rain  at 
night,  on  leafy  or  hay  beds  we  slept  warm  and  soundly,  , 

In  the  morning  the  boys  prepared  it/  511"*  k'e*.  tfe',  best;  <j!f  ',ijt».' 
Some  rations  were  cooked  ;  the  balance  '  ^'f  J)Qivit,y,».p\)tatn<?d 
from  Pamaster-General  Knight,  of  ProVklifHtfe  )  rkt'Vertrft-  ' 


Knight 

cates  for  four  dollars  per  week  for  the  soldiei^  fc 
received,  when  the  order  came  to  "  strike  tehn*s"'ptvck"  k'nap- 
sacks,  and  prepare  to  march."  The  line  was  rapidly  formed, 
and  at  three  o'clock  the  Eleventh  was  waiting  for  orders. 
This  camp  was  nicknamed  Camp  Misery  and  Camp  Desola 
tion,  and  no  tear  was  shed  in  taking  leave.  The  regiment 
had  been  ordered,  the  night  before,  into  Gen.  Casey's  Divis 
ion  and  Col.  Burnham's  Brigade.  The  Twenty-second 
Connecticut  were  encamped  to  the  north  of  us  and  formed 
on  the  right  of  the  line. 

MARCH    TO    CHAIN    BRIDGE. 

We  moved  at  half-past  three  o'clock  for  an  unknown  des 
tination.  The  Connecticut  boys  stepped  quickly  to  the  beat 
of  the  drum  through  Pennsylvania  avenue,  past  the  Capi 
tol,  past  the  "White  House,"  through  streets  slippery  with 
mud,  and  no  word  of  halt.  It  was  too  much.  The  men 


'22  HISTORY    OF    THE 

took  the  sidewalks  despite  the  urgings  of  officers,  who  also 
aided  some  of  the  man  in  carrying  their  knapsacks  ;  not  till 
then  came  the  word  •»  halt,"  and  the  wliole  line  at  once  sought 
door-steps,  curb-stones  and  every  available  resting  place. 

Heavy  maledictions  fell  upon  the  head  of  the  Connecticut 
Colonel.  The  Rhode  Island  boys  had  this  satisfaction,  that 
on  the  whole  route  they  did  not  come  out  second  best.  There 
was  no  more  driving.  In  passing  through  Georgetown  the 
roads  grew  rougher  and  muddier,  till  we  were  compelled  to 
move  in  single  file.  Chain  Bridge,  which  we  were  to  cross, 
seemed  like  a  butterfly  which  we  should  never  catch,  but  it 
was,  reached  and  crossed  at  last,  and  we  ascended  the  heights 
'•Gn^tb'ciotb^'.skVb^JE'pth1  steeper  than  College  street  in  Provi- 
dept'e;  ;  with -a,  brisk  .step  and  no  lagging.  A  few  steps  farther 
and  we  WhoVK'il irplpid  on  to  a  side  hill,  halting  near  the  One 
iiumfred'  'iffyl*  -Twenty-seventh  Pennsylvania  ;  and  with  no 
tents'  witliin'  iiiH'es  of  us  on  a  cold,  damp  night,  about  half-past 
eight  o'clock,  we  gladly  sought  rest  on  the  bosom  of  mother 
earth.  So  much  for  the  first  four  hours,  ten  miles  knapsack 
march.  Older  soldiers  declared  that  the  regiment  had  done 
well. 

FIRST    CAMP    ON    THE    SACRED  SOIL    NEAR  CHAIN    BRIDGE. 

Sunday  morning,  early,  on  account  of  the  damp  and  cold, 
the  men  built  large  camp-fires  of  fuel  from  the  trees  that 
had  been  felled  for  military  purposes,  and  made  themselves 
comfortable.  It  was  a  line,  woody  country,  with  many  a 
gorge  and  brook  and  dell  to  make  it  romantic. 

With  the  crackers  and  meat  of  the  dav  before,  some  coffee 
was  provided,  with  little  or  no  sugar,  and  in  spite  of  the 
unpleasant  weather,  the  men  were  very  cheerful. 


ELEVENTH    KEGLMEKT.  23 

f'AMP    NEAR    FORT    ETHAN    ALLEN. 

At  ten  o'clock  we  again  fell  into  liiii',  inarched  about  t\vo 
miles  and  encamped  near  Fort  Ethan  Allen,  the  givat  dome 
of  the  Capitol  looming  up  to  the  east  of  us.  The  various 
companies  pitched  their  tents,  policed  the  streets  of  a  former 
camp,  made  comfortable  beds  of  juniper  boughs,  and  between 
four  and  five  o'clock  prepared  a  meal  cooked  by  the  com 
pany  cooks,  consisting  of  salt  beef,  potatoes,  French  turnips 
and  coffee.  It  being  Sunday,  by  invitation  of  Capt.  Ken- 
drick,  as  many  as  could  be  accommodated,  held  a  religious 
meeting  in  the  early  part  of  the  evening,  in  his  tent. 

The  next  day,  the  13th  of  October,  the  usual  routine  of 
drill,  dress-parade,  and  regimental  religious  service  was 
begun.  There  was  a  lack,  however,  of  regular  rations.  For 
breakfast,  coffee  with  sugar,  and  ham  was  provided ;  at 
noon,  hard-tack  and  water;  at  night,  a  few  crackers. 
Water  was  obtained  at  the  springs  near  by.  The  scarcity 
of  rations  made  the  sutlers'  patronage  greater,  and  prices 
seemed  to  go  up  as  rations  got  down.  Ten  cents  were  paid 
for  common  candles  ;  twenty-one  cents  per  pound  for  cheese  ; 
twenty  cents  each  for  pies,  and  other  articles  in  proportion, 
and  this  was  an  advance  of  thirty-three  to  fifty  p?,r  cent,  on 
Washington  prices  a  few  days  previous. 

A    SPEECH    FROM    THE    COLONEL. 

When  the  evening  of  October  13th  came,  several  compa 
nies  in  good  order,  but  without  their  officers,  marched  to  the 
(Quarter-master's  tent,  and  our  cool  and  collected  Colonel, 
learning  of  the  movement,  marched  there,  too.  What  he 
said,  the  writer  cannot  certainly  say,  but  he  made  them  a 
speech  and  the  boys  cheered,  and  matters  were  by  some  magic 
ivctitied,  and  the  storm  subsided.  The  tide  turned  the  next 


24  HISTORY    OF    THE 

dav,  and  rations  began  to  pour  in,  including  the  soap  and 
candles  of  several  days  previous.  In  the  few  following  days 
every  one  enjoyed  the  delightfulness  of  the  climate  and 
observed  the  splendor  of  the  moonlight  nights. 

At  four  o'clock  on  the  15th,  a  surprise  came,  in  an 
order  to  prepare  for  inspection.  The  boys  were  ready  in 
twenty-five  minutes,  arms,  knapsacks  and  tents  were  care 
fully  looked  into  by  our  officers,  and  the  raw  recruits  became 
aware  that  this  exercise  was  to  come  once  a  week  to  keep 
us  on  the  qui  vive. 

As  the  Colonel  passed  through  the  lines  of  knapsacks  in 
one  company,  he  remarked  in  his  dry  way  :  4k  I  don't  wonder 
you  breakdown,  if  you  carry  such  loads  as  these."  On  the 
previous  evening,  in  response  to  an  invitation  by  the  Chap 
lain  at  dress-parade,  a  spirited  prayer  and  conference  meet 
ing  was  held  in  and  around  his  tent,  by  all  who  could  partici 
pate.  Many  such  meetings  were  held  while  tfie  regiment  was* 
in  the  service. 

FATKil  K     1)1  TV. 

Another  surprise  came  to  us  on  Thursday,  the  l(>th,  in 
an  order  at  dress-parade  for  Companies  F,  I)  and  I  to 
report  at  seven  o'clock  next  morning  for  fatigue  duty.  Any 
change  seemed  desirable,  and  the  boys  cheered  lustily  as  they 
reached  their  company  streets.  Half-past  five  the  next 
morning  the  order  came  to  fall  in.  The  men  jumped  from 
their  beds  and  made  ready  for  the  unknown  duty.  They 
were  in  high  spirits,  and  determined  to  have  a  good  time  if 
that  was  possible.  They  breakfasted  on  soft  bread  from 
Washington  and  fried  bacon  and  coffee,  and  took  a  day's 
rations  in  their  haversacks.  Pursuant  to  orders,  they  took 
their  rubber  and  woolen  blankets  and  overcoats.  The  column 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  25 

moved  at  seven  o'clock.  The  morning  was  very  fine.  The 
sun  rapidly  dispelled  the  mist  which  lay  in  the  valleys,  wind 
ing  among  the  hills,  and  looking,  as  you  beheld  it  from  some 
elevated  point,  like  a  mighty  river,  silent  and  smooth  as  glass. 
Every  hill  was  crowned  with  sunbeams,  and  the  woods 
seemed  clothed  in  a  fresh  and  polished  green.  The  effect 
was  further  heightened  by  the  many  camps  in  view,  as  their 
tents,  in  shining  whiteness,  clustered  on  the  hills  and  nestled 
in  the  valleys  here  and  there,  while  ik  old  glory"  floated 
above  each  encampment,  by  the  smile  of  Heaven  an  inspira 
tion  and  defence.  Fort  Ethan  Allen  crowned  a  near,  and 
Fort  Marcy  a  more  distant,  summit.  Forward  was  the 
word,  and  on  they  marched,  over  hill  and  through  dell, 
through  mud  and  mire,  the  result  of  the  previous  night's 
rain,  until  Fort  Ethan  Allen  was  reached.  An  hour  pjissed 
before  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-third  New  York  and 
the  Twenty-second  Connecticut  boys  came  up,  but  in  the 
meantime  the  companies  received  their  axes  and  learned  of 
the  work  before  them.  It  was  nine  o'clock,  and  in  another 
hour  they  came  to  a  long  belt  of  woods,  where  they  rested  a 
feu  moments  and  prepared  for  labor. 

The  boys  will  remember  a  tall  walnut  tree  that  stood  in 
the  path,  near  the  woods,  full  of  ripe  nuts  waiting  for  the 
nipping  of  Jack  Frost,  but  not  proof  against  clubs  and 
stones  ;  the  rest  can  easily  be  imagined. 

The  axes  had  been  ground  to  peel  an  apple,  and  at  the 
word  of  command  the  men  walked  into  the  woods  and  plied 
them  with  an  energy  that  made  the  trees  bow  like  grass 
before  the  mower's  scythe.  Captains,  lieutenants  and  men, 
Xe\v  York,  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island,  vied  with  each 
other  in  the  work,  and  acre  after  acre  was  bared  to  the 
broad  beams  of  the  mid-day  sun,  and  cleared  for  the  range 
of  the  guns  of  Fort  Ethan-Allen,  and  to  prevent  the  rebels 


26  HISTORY    OF    THE 

from  building  a  battery  unseen  by  the  Union  commander. 
We  rested  at  noon.  In  about  four  hours,  ten  or  more  acres 
were  laid  low  by  six  or  seven  hundred  men.  The  ringing 
music  of  the  axes  was  inspiring.  The  crash  of  falling  trees, 
many  of  them  one  hundred,  and  acres  of  them  fifty  feet  high 
and  upwards,  resounded  for  a  long  distance  around,  and 
cheer  after  cheer  burst  from  the  throats  of  the  excited  men. 
The  return  to  camp,  notwithstanding  the  fatigue  of  the  men, 
was,  by  the  same  circuitous  route  of  the  morning,  a  march 
of  several  miles,  from  a  point  but  a  mile  from  the  camp  of 
the  Eleventh. 

A    SABBATH    IN    CAMP. 

A  military  life  necessarily  imposes  upon  the  soldier  many 
duties  on  the  Sabbath  which,  in  the  quiet  of  our  peaceful 
homes,  would  be  an  offence  against  the  law  of  God.  As 
well  discard  the  night  and  day  police  in  our  cities  when  the 
Sabbath  dawns,  as  to  say  that  there  shall  not  be  due  prepara 
tion  in  camp  to  keep  the  soldier  in  readiness  to  meet  the  foe. 
But  notwithstanding  military  regulations,  this  Sabbath  in 
camp  was  a  demonstration  that  the  day  can  be  profitably 
kept  when  the  soldier  is  not  upon  the  move,  and  that  he  may 
"remember  the  Sabbath  day  and  keep  it  holy,"  if  there  is  a 
disposition  to  do  so.  Roll-call  was  at  six  o'clock,— the  usual 
hour.  Breakfast  at  seven.  Inspection  of  arms,  knapsacks 
and  tents  at  half-past  eight.  At  ten  o'clock,  preparation 
was  made  for  morning  religious  services.  In  a  little  more  than 
an  hour  the  order  passed  through  the  streets  for  the  men  to 
appear  in  dress-coats,  with  arms  and  equipments,  and  be 
ready  for  church.  Just  before  eleven  o'clock,  Company  I 
moved  to  the  north  line  of  the  encampment  and  sung  a  hymn 
from  the  soldiers'  hymn  books,  given  the  boys  before  they 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  27 

left  Camp  Stevens.  Soon  the  other  companies  came  up  and 
formed  a  hollow  square,  the  regimental  officers  taking  posi 
tion  on  the  north  side,  while  all  who  were  accustomed  to 
sing  were  asked  to  gather  round  the  Chaplain.  A  large 
number  responded,  and  the  service, began  with  the  hymn, 

"  "Welcome,  sweet  day  of  rest,  that  saw  the  Lord  arise  "; 
prayer,  by  the  Chaplain,  followed,  and  a  second  hymn, 
"  My  soul  be  on  thy  guard." 

Chaplain  Gould  then  delivered  a  short,  appropriate  and 
pointed  discourse,  from  1st  Timothy,  4th  chapter  and  7th 
verse,  "Exercise  thyself  unto  godliness."  The  doxologv, 

"  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow," 
\vas  sung  in  conclusion.  The  whole  service  occupied  but 
little  more  than  half  an  hour,  so  that  the  most  impatient  and 
unwilling  men,  if  such  there  were,  could  not  complain  of 
being  wearied.  Neither  was  there  any  compulsion  of  con 
science,  for  previous  to  the  commencement  of  the  exercises 
the  Colonel  remarked  in  substance  :  u  I  am  sorry  that  any  of 
the  companies,  by  their  delay  in  getting  into  line,  seem  to  be 
unwilling  to  join  in  this  our  first  religious  service.  I  should 
think  you  knew  me  well  enough  to  believe  that  I  wouldn't 
compel  any  man  to  attend  upon  the  ministrations  of  a  religion 
where  he  cannot  conscientiously  worship.  If,  now,  there  is 
any  Roman  Catholic  who  cannot  unite  in  this  service,  or  any 
other  man,  who  will  say  that  he  is  conscientiously  opposed 
to  attending  upon  these  exercises,  let  them  step  two  paces 
forward  and  I  will  excuse  them."  Only  three  men  asked  to 
be  excused,  and  the  service  proceeded  in  the  order  given 
above.  In  the  afternoon,  by  invitation,  quite  a  number  of 
men  from  different  companies,  attended  the  religious  services 
of  the  Twenty-second  Connecticut,  our  Colonel  excusing 


28  HISTORY    OF    THE 

them  for  that  purpose.     The  sermon,    by    Chaplain  C.   C. 
Adams,  was  from  Ephesians,  4th  chapter  and  1st  verse  :     "I, 
therefore,    the   prisoner  of   the    Lord,    beseech  you    that   ye 
walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  ye  are  called."      In 
the  evening  fifty  or  sixty  men  from  the  various  companies 
in  the  regiment  attended  a  prayer  and  conference  meeting, 
led   by  the  Chaplain,  in  a  tent  loaned  to  us  for  the  occasion. 
It  was  an  excellent  meeting.     This  description   will  suffice 
for  many  a  Sunday  passed  in  camp  during  the  time  of  our 
enlistment,  except  as  there  were  occasions  of  special  interest. 
It  should  be  observed  that  at  this  period,  and  on   Miner's 
Hill,  daily  religious  services  were  held  at  dress-parade  unless 
the    weather  was  inclement,    or  unavoidable   circumstances 
prevented.     The  selections  of  Scripture  at  such  times  were 
from    the   Psalms   or  Proverbs,   and  those  portions  of  the 
word  of  God  seemed  to  possess  a  beauty,  impressiveness  and 
power  seldom  experienced  before.       It  was  plain  that  Col. 
Metcalf    was    disposed    to   give    the   regiment    every   moral 
and   religious   advantage   consistent   with   his   position,    and 
took  pleasure  in  uniting  witli  us  on  all  proper  public  occa 
sions.     A  camp  expression  in  favor  of  the  Colonel  would  be 
to  the  point  just  here,  but  would  not  look  well  upon  paper. 
Enough,  that  he  grew  in  favor  with  the,  men  of  the  regiment 
while  he  remained  its  commander. 

AX'KSSAY  ox  AKMY  MTLKS. 

The  transportation  of  government  rations  and  stores  from 
Washington  was  by  mule  teams.  We  have  seen  no  better 
description  of  these  ubiquitous  affairs  than  that  given  by  Chap 
lain  Gould,  in  his  letters  to  the  Providence  Journal,  over  the 
.  signature  "J.  B.  G."  :  "A  government  team  with  a  con-- 
traband  to  drive  it  is  an  institution.  One  sees  them,  thou- 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  29 

sands  of  them,  by  day,  and  hears  the  animals  emitting  hor 
rible  yells  by  night.  The  roads  are  a  perfect  representation 
of  the  atheist's  idea  of  creation.  Everything  is  by  chance  ; 
gullies  and  rocks,  stumps  and  broken  bridges  are  mingled 
together  most  promiscuously.  The  pavements  of  Washing 
ton  and  (Jeorgetown,  never  perfectly  even  and  comfortable, 
are  now  perfectly  disarranged,  and  great  carts  go  thundering 
and  crashing  into  the  pits,  from  which  they  are  extricated  by 
a  wrench  of  the  mule  and  a  yell  of  the  driver.  On  almost 
every  open  space  in  and  around  Washington  these  teams  are 
seen  covering  scores  of  acres,  while  for  miles  on  every  road 
they  are  seen  wending  their  way  to  different  encampments. 
When  one  is  far  enough  away  to  lose  sight  of  the  ribs  of  the 
poor  beasts  and  can  forget  their  sufferings,  it  is  a  pleasant 
sight  to  see  the  trains  slowly  winding  their  way  up  the  hill 
sides  and  through  the  valley.  The  poor  mules  are  called 
ugly  and  obstinate,  but  any  man,  used  as  they  are,  who 
would  not  be  ugly  and  obstinate  would  be  a  fool.  They  are 
said  to  kick  in  all  directions,  and  it  is  asserted  that  a  man  in 
front  of  them  has  not  more  security  from  their  heels  than  in 
any  other  position.  They  are  frequently  harnessed  after  a 
poor  breakfast  and  drag  a  heavy  load  all  day,  and  perhaps 
get  stuck  in  some  gully  or  hemmed  in  by  a  broken  cart  and 
do  not  get  back  to  their  forage  till  the  next  day  at  noon  or 
night,  and  then,  in  all  probability,  start  again  for  a  similar 
trip  the  next  morning. 

"AND  ARMY  HORSES. 

'  To  pass  through  a  government  stable  where  horses  are 
kept,  is  only  second  to  observing  the  mule  teams.  There 
they  stand,  black  horses  and  white,  red  horses  and  gray, 
large  horses  and  small,  but  mind  you,  all  poor  horses,  wait 
ing  patiently  for  a  requisition  to  be  made  to  attach  them  to 


30  HISTORY    OF    THE 

some  regiment.  By  some  kind  of  accident  it  always  hap 
pens  that  the  poorest  are  selected,  while  their  somewhat 
superior  fellows  are  doomed  to  remain  till  they  have  passed 
through  a  process  of  starvation  that  renders  them  fit  to 


enter  active  semce." 


ORDERED    INTO  COWDEN's  BRIGADE CHANGE  OF    CAMP. 

We  learned  Monday,  October  2()th,  that  we  were  ordered 
into  Brig.-Gen.  Robert  Cowden's  brigade,  and  that  we 
should  at  once  leave  camp  for  a  location  about  two  miles 
south  or  southwest.  Reveille  sounded  at  five  o'clock  the 
next  morning;  we  were  ordered  to  strike  tents  and  be  ready 
to  march  at  seven.  Rhode  Island  was  ready  promptly,  and 
.waited  an  hour  and  a  half  for  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty- 
third  New  York,  which  had  the  right  of  the  line,  and  for  the 
Connecticut  Twenty-second,  which  had  the  left.  A  march  of 
about  two  hours  along  the  tortuous  roads  of  the  country, 
brought  us  to  an  open  field  to  the  south  of  Miner's  Hill,  not 
far  from  Falls  Church.  Here  we  unslung  knapsacks  and 
encamped.  To  the  east  was  a  large  farm-house,  and  its  occu 
pant  manifested  a  kind  and  generous  spirit  of  accommodation 
to  the  men.  More  houses  were  to  be  seen  around  us  than 
in  our  former  camp,  and  more  of  the  colored  race  appeared, 
the  deepest  midnight  showing  itself  in  their  countenances. 

Tents  were  hardly  pitched  when  three  companies  of  the 
Eleventh  were  ordered  on  picket,  and  all  necessary  prepara 
tions  were  made  for  this  new  duty,  and  the  boys  were  in  high 
"•lee  at  the  prospect,  but  it  turned  out  to  be  "a  sell.  A  march 
round  the  field  and  return  to  the  company  streets,  was  all 
that  it  amounted  to. 

On  the  march  to  this  camp,  which  we  occupied  for  so 
brief  a  time,  the  boys  observed  a  persimmon  tree,  the  first 
that  most  of  them  had  seen.  The  time  of  persimmons  was 


ELEVENTH    KKGIMENT.  31 

"not  yet."  Jack  Frost  had  not  added  his  chemistry  to  the 
fair,  round  fruit,  to  make  it  palatable  and  to  send  it  tumbling 
to  the  ground  for  the  benefit  and  pleasure  of  mortals.  But 
the  boys  could  not  wait,  the  fruit  was  too  tempting.  Clubs 
and  stones  soon  brought  some  of  it  within  reach,  and  a  single 
bite  sufficed  to  make  the  boys  wise — the  puckery  quality 
predominated.  A  few  of  the  persimmons,  that  were  bruised 
and  less  inviting  to  the  eye,  were  pleasant  to  the  taste. 

A  Rhode  Island  man,  connected  with  the  United  States 
chasseurs,  having  had  a  more  delightful  experience,  thus 
describes  the  tree  and  its  fruit : 

THE    OLD    PERSIMMON    TREE. 

While  autumn  blasts  go  wailing  by, 

And  surly  grows  the  air; 
While  falling  leaves  in  eddies  fly, 

And  woods  grow  lean  and  bare, 
Come  wander  forth  o'er  hill  and  dale, 

And  search  the  woods  with  me, 
To  find  in  some  secluded  vale 

The  old  persimmon  tree. 

Ho!  see  it  tow 'ring  on  the  plain, 

With  few  companions  near; 
While  storms  of  sleet  and  frosty  rain 

Beat  on  it  through  the  year; 
But,  like  a  sentry  stout  and  brave, 

It  stands  the  shock,  you  see, 
While  high  aloft  its  branches  wave, 

Good  old  persimmon  tree! 
•*'»•• 

Now  taste  the  fruit  ere  it  be  ripe 

By  sunshine  from  the  South, 
And  ten  to  one  you  cannot  wipe 

The  pucker  from  your  mouth; 
But  time  will  give  the  mellow  taste, 

And  then  you'll  hail  with  glee, 
The  queen  of  all  the  woody  waste, 

The  old  persimmon  tree. 
#  *  *  *  * 


32  HISTORY    OF    THE 

God  made  the  sea,  the  earth,  the  air, 

And  man,  and  bird  and  beast, 
And  bringeth  forth  all  frnit  so  fair, 

That  all  enjoy  the  feast. 
Then  let  His  praise  resound  abroad, 

Who  gives  to  thee  and  me 
The  mellow  fruit  around  thy  root, 

Good  old  persiimuon  tree. 

THE    MAINE    LAW. 

A  day  or  two  before  we  left  the  camp  near  Fort  Ethan 
Allen,  there  were  some  mysterious  doings  in  the  woods  and 
among  the  brush,  not  far  to  the  north.  Canteens  for  water 
multiplied  and  formed  in  line  in  that  direction,  when  sud 
denly  there  came  an  order  that  no  more  canteens  should  be 
allowed  to  fill  themselves  with  water  of  any  kind.  It  did 
seem  cruel  that  soldiers  should  ever  be  deprived  of  this  heaven 
sent  beverage.  The  next  day,  however,  six  intoxicated  men 
were  brought  in  and  put  in  the  guard  house,  and  the  "  mur 
der  was  out."  Some  one  who  was  willing  to  live  on  the 
life  blood  of  his  fellow  men,  with  accomplices  equally  guilty, 
had  secreted  himself  at  some  distance  from  camp,  set  a 
watch,  sent  out  runners  and  enticed  lovers  of  whiskey,  and 
sold  it  in  bottles  holding  about  three  gills  each,  at  one  dollar 
a  bottle.  When  this  movement  came  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  Colonel  the  trade  was  stopped  at  once.  The  watchman 
on  the  hill  telegraphed  to  his  principal,  and  devil  number  one 
skedaddled  to  a  more  congenial  clime. 

UP    IN    THE    MORNING    EARLY. 

The  most  novel  thing  in  this  brief  portion  of  our  service 
occurred  on  the  morning  of  October  22d.  While  the  men 
were  sleeping  soundly,  "not  dreaming  of  the  hour,"  the 
various  Captains,  at  half-past  three  o'clock,  came  quietly  to 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  33 

the  door  of  tin-  tents,  saying.  "  (Jet  up  and  tall  into  line  as 
quickly  as  possible.  Strike  no  lights  and  make  no  noise." 
In  twenty  minutes  the  companies  passed  out  of  the  streets 
and  formed  in  line  in  front  of  the  camp,  awaiting  the  order 
to  march.  Oar  Colonel  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  were  mounted 
to  direct  our  movements,  but  we  waited  in  vain.  The  whole 
division  was  under  arms,  and  after  waiting  patiently  two 
hours  in  the  face  of  a  northwest  wind,  the  order  came, 
"March  off  your  companies."  "Sold  again,"  said  the 
boys.  That  explained  the  matter  to  them  ;  but  the  know 
ing  ones  were  aware  that  the  order  was  given  to  ascertain 
how  promptly  the  division  could  get  under  arms  and  into 
line  of  battle. 

ON    THE    MARCH    TO    A    NEW    CAMP. 

The  rest,  after  having  our  slumbers  so  rudely  broken,  was 
brief.  The  reveille  soon  sounded,  and  breakfast  was  hardly 
eaten  when  the  order  to  strike  tents  and  be  ready  to  move 
at  seven  o'clock,  was  given.  The  Eleventh  promptly 
responded,  and  waited  until  nine  o'clock  before  the  column 
was  ready  to  move.  The  wind  was  high,  the  roads  dusty, 
the  grade  ascending,  and  the  tramp  disagreeable.  When  we 
reached  the  summit  of  the  hill  we  perceived  a  light-colored 
expanse  with  not  a  blade  of  grass  in  view.  The  word 
"  halt  "  told  us  that  this  was  to  be  our  u  Soldiers'  Home  " 
for  an  indefinite  period.  An  involuntary  exclamation  revealed 
the  impression  upon  the  minds  of  the  men.  East  Capitol 
Hill  was  quite  cast  in  the  shade.  It  seemed  as  if  a  portion 
of  the  Desert  of  Sahara  had  been  taken  from  Africa  and 
transported  to  this  place  in  the  midst  of  a  basin  of  constant 
verdure  ;  for  a  deep  vale  of  woods  and  dells  surrounded  it. 
The  Fortieth  Massachusetts  were  encamped  in  the  valley  to 


34  HISTORY    OF    THE 

the  west,  through  which  ran  a  convenient  brook,  presenting, 
as  viewed  from  our  streets,  a  picturesque  scene.  On  the 
first  day  in  this  encampment  the  dust  swept  in  numerous 
miniature  simoons  over  the  whole  ground,  until  the  patience 
of  the  men  was  well  nigh  exhausted. 

MINER'S  HILL. 

This  wras  the  first  of  the  regiment's  more  permanent  abodes. 
It  is  nearly  a  mile  long,  having  only  the  width  of  the  road 
at  the  summit,  with  a  base  of  perhaps  half  a  mile  from  east 
to  west.  It  was  undoubtedly  reduced  to  the  barren  condi 
tion  in  which  we  found  it,  by  the  constant  occupancy  of 
troops  from  18G1  to  that  time.  It  is  about  three  miles  from 
Chain  Bridge.  Washington  was  beyond  the  hills  to  the  east. 
Fairfax  Seminary  could  be  seen  a  little  to  the  southeast. 
Falls  Church  was,  perhaps,  a  mile  and  a  half  to  the  south 
west.  We  could  imagine  it  a  fine  camping-ground  in  the 
summer,  when  the  trees  were  in  their  glory,  and  the  hill 
was  clothed  with  a  carpet  of  green.  Just  north  of  the 
Eleventh  was  Battery  D,  of  Uncle  Sam's  Regulars.  The 
four  regiments  which  composed  our  brigade  were  in  close 
proximity. 

As  soon  as  the  streets  were  laid  out  the  Rhode  Island  boys 
didn't  stop  long  to  exclaim  or  complain,  but  merrily  went  to 
work  with  a  will  to  make  this  unlovely  spot  as  comfortable 
as  possible.  The  streets  wrere  policed,  the  rubbish  burned 
up,  the  tents  pitched  in  spite  of  the  high  wind,  which  laid 
them  flat  many  times,  the  woods  were  laid,  under  tribute, 
pine  boughs  were  brought  to  make  comfortable  beds,  and  at 
the  hour  of  dress-parade  most  of  the  tents  seemed  homelike 
and  cosy.  After  supper  and  roll-call,  when  the  hour  of  sleep 
came,  the  men,  well  tired  out,  lav  down  under  the  roofs  of 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  35 

their  canvas  houses,  and  the  beautiful  stars  of  heaven, 
heralded  by  the  most  delicate  new  moon,  looked  smilingly 
down  and  seemed  to  bid  them  rest  in  peace. 

LIFE  AT  MINER'S  HILL. 

This  was  the  outermost  post  of  the  defenses  of  Washing 
ton.  The  orders  of  Gr.'ii.  Abercrombie,  in  whose  division 
we  were  brigaded,  required  that  we  should  rise  at  day-break, 
armed  and  equipped.  Tims  wo  appeared  the  next  day,  the 
23d  of  October.  The  routine  was  as  usual :  company  drill 
in  the  morning  ;  battalion  drill  in  the  afternoon  ;  dress-parade 
if  the  weather  was  pleasant  at  the  close  of  the  day.  Brigade 
guard  mounting  was  a  new  feature  to  many  of  the  boys,  in 
which  each  regiment  was  represented  by  a  company.  Unmil- 
itary  people  might  call  it  a  kind  of  dress-parade  in  the  morn 
ing.  It  was  soon  found  that  guard  duty  was  not  more 
unendurable  than  the  other  routine  of  the  soldier's  life,  and 
that  it  had  the  compensation,  if  nothing  unlocked  for  occurred, 
of  relief  from  ordinary  drill  on  the  following  day.  In  the 
language  of  Artemus  Ward,  "  it  may  be  "highly  respectable, 
it  may  be  a  privilege,  but  it  is  not  an  enticin'  performance." 

VISITORS — BRIGADE     REVIEW. 

Saturday,  October  25th,  was  memorable  for  visitors  to 
our  camp.  Beside  Maj«-Gen*  Abercrombie,  there  were  Mr. 
Isaac  H.  South  wick,  of  Providence,  at  that  time  President 
of  the  Providence  and  Worcester  Railroad  Co.,  and  daugh 
ters,  and  His  Honor  Mayor  Knight,  of  Providence.  Vis 
itors  from  home  Were  always  gladly  welcomed.  Then  came 
a  brigade  review.  To  participate  in  this,  the  regiment 
marched  about  a  mile  in  heavy  marching  order  to  a  level 
plain  and  were  reviewed  by  Gen.  Cowden  and  staff.  This 


36  HISTORY    OF    THE 

was  all  the  same  as  a  regimental  review  multiplied  by  four. 
Gen.  Cowden  was  frequently  about  our  lines,  and  on  the  day 
previous  he  made  an  inspection  of  guns  and  knapsacks, 
making  a  very  favorable  impression  upon  the  men.  At  this 
time  it  was  hard  to  realize  that  we  were  so  far  from  home, 
and  every  homelike  feature  possessed  a  wonderful  charm. 
The  boys  will  not  forget  a  farm-house  known  as  Birch's, 
which  they  visited  to  get  their  clothes  washed,  and  not  a 
few  of  them  to  enjoy  a  meal  now  and  then,  including  an 
occasional  rabbit  pie.  A  pleasing  reminder  of  home,  at 
Birch's,  were  the  flowers  in  bloom  here  and  there. 

The  Rhode  Islanders  always  did  well  what  they  were 
ordered  to  do,  and  it  should  be  mentioned  here,  that  on  the 
day  when  a  part  of  the  regiment  mowed  the  woods,  four 
companies  went  over  to  Fort  Ethan  Allen  constructed  three 
hundred  feet  of  breastworks,  and  did  other  work  on  a 
redoubt,  and  were  commended  by  the  Colonel  and  Engineer 
for  doing  twice  as  much  as  they  expected,  and  doing  it  well. 

The  weather  at  that  time  was  exceedingly  fine  ;  neither 
very  hot  nor  very  cold,  though  early  in  the  morning,  and  we 
"  rose  with  the  lark,"  we  were  treated  to  several  white 
frosts,  which  told  us  plainly  that  Jack  Frost's  dominions 
were  extensive,  and  if  we  wished  to  escape  him  we  must 
move  far  south  of  the  redoubtable  city  of  Richmond. 

COMMON     LIKK. 

Three  hours  a  day  at  that  time  were  spent  in  drill,  beside 
dress-parade  and  inspection  of  muskets,  knapsacks  and  tents 
now  and  then.  The  streets  were  policed  as  soon  as  the  day 
break  roll  was  called,  and  then  away,  half  a  mile  to  the 
brook,  to  wash.  It  took  some  time  to  cat ;  but  this  was 
not  an  irksome  task  to  the  men,  who  wore  hungry  and  not 


ELEVENTH    KKGIMENT.  37 

especially  lazy.  There  were  lazy  men,  it  was  said,  in  all 
the  companies,  and  this  did  not  lighten  the  burdens  of  those 
who  cheerfully  performed  their  part. 

The  soldier  had  his  clothes  to  mend.  This  arose  in  part 
from  the  poor  sewing  on  the  garments  which  our  dear  Uncle 
Samuel  furnished  the  boys,  and,  to  go  a  little  farther  back,  to 
the  poor  prices  which  the  poor  women  who  made  them  got 
for  their  labor.  If  the  ghost  of  one  of  Hood's  shirts  did 
not  appear  at  some  time  to  some  of  their  employers  and 
frighten  them  into  an  unwelcome  eternity,  they  certainly 
deserved  a  just  retribution  in  this  life. 

Everybody  knows  that  the  soldier  was  obliged  to  be  his  own 
washerwoman,  and  when  this  agreeable  duty  came  round 
we  were  reminded  of  the  helpfulness  of  the  other  sex,  who, 
at  that  time,  were  as  rarely  to  be  seen  as  flowers  in  the 
desert.  All  this  used  uptime.  Then  the  musket  and  equip 
ment*  were  to  be  kept  in  a  condition  to  pass  inspection. 
There  were  other  contingent  duties,  such  as  providing  wood 
and  water  for  the  cook,  attending  to  this  and  that,  which 
stole  away  the  soldier's  leisure  hours  and  shortened  his  time 
for  penning  those  loving  epistles  which  friends  at  home 
expected,  and  complained  if  they  did  not  receive.  These 
friends  were  advised  to  turn  the  tables  when  they  felt  thus, 
and  write  three  letters  to  the  soldier's  one,  for  it  would  help 
him  along  wonderfully. 

LKTTKK-WKITIN<;    St.'NDAY. 

On  this  day,  the  2Gtli,  owing  to  the  fatiguing  duties  of 
the  previous  days,  the  regiment  was  excused  from  all  extra 
duties,  including  religious  services.  A  northeast  rain  storm 
began  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  continued  through 
the  night.  Everybody,  but  those  who  went  for  rations  or  on 
some  special  service,  stayed  indoors.  The  regiment  took 


38  HISTORY    OF    THE 

to  letter-writing.  In  many  tents  there  were  singing,  praising, 
praying,  and -reading  the  Bible.  To  many  it.  was  one  of 
those  quiet  Sundays  which,  at  times,  are  very  enjoyable. 
The  product  for  that  day  was  at  least  one  thousand  letters. 

DIVISION    REVIEW. 

Roll-call  was  omitted  the  next  morning,  and  at  half-past 
seven  we  were  ordered  in  line  and  marched  off  in  the  storm 
a  mile  and  a  half  to  a  grand  review  ;  but  the  storm  raged  so 
furiously  that  the  review  was  postponed,  the  regiment  was 
ordered  back  to  find,  on  arriving  at  camp,  that  several  tents 
had  been  prostrated  by  the  violence  of  the  wind.  The  dam 
age,  however,  was  soon  repaired  and  at  noon  the  storm 
ceased. 

An  ambulance  corps,  composed  of  a  detail  of  ten  men 
from  each  regiment,  in  accordance  with  the  then  recent  army 
regulations,  was  formed  at  that  time.  Rev.  Philo  Havvkes, 
believed  to  be  eminently  fitted  for  the  position,  was  detailed 
from  Company  I. 

The  review  did  come  off  on  the  next  day.  It  was  not  so 
grand  an  affair  as  we  had  hoped.  Probably  less  than  three 
brigades  were  present  and  passed  in  review  before  Gen. 
Abercrombie,  whose  headquarters  were  at  Fort  Ethan  Allen. 
It  was  an  imposing  sight,  however,  to  see  even  eight  or  ten 
thousand  men  march  in  review. 

On  the  31st,  the  men  were  paid  off.  To  this  end  every 
man  must  fall  in  line  with  his  knapsack  strapped  upon  his 
back.  The  only  answer  to  the  men's  wonder  at  this  require 
ment  was,  Uncle  Sam  says  so,  and  that  must  suffice. 

THE    DRUM    BAND. 

The  music  added  much  to  the  life  of  the  regiment,  and 
we  gladly  refer  to  it  at  this  point  in  our  narrative.  Officers 
and  men  greatly  enjoyed  it,  and  at  dress-parade  on  the  even- 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  39 

ing  of  October  30th,  the  drum  band,  under  the  direction  of 
its  Drum-Major,  Mr.  W.  L.  Dunbar,  of  Providence,  intro 
duced  a  new  roll,  which  attracted  not  only  the  attention  of  the 
regiment  but  of  the  visitors,  of  whom  there  were  more  or  less 
present  each  evening.  The  interest  was  maintained  while 
the  music  sounded,  and  when  the  tune  changed  and  the  band, 
in  tip-top  time,  played  "Dixie"  until  they  reached  the  right 
of  the  line,  if  the  performance  had  been  in  some  public  hall 
in  Providence  there  would  have  been  tremendous  applause. 
We  have  no  doubt  that  the  men,  and  the  Colonel,  too,  would 
have  felt  better  if  they  could  have  ventilated  their  throats 
upon  the  occasion.  We  are  still  of  the  opinion  that  our 
drum  band  was  not  excelled  by  that  of  any  regiment  about  us. 

Two  weeks  made  such  changes  in  the  camp  at  Miner's 
Hill,  that  if  our  friends  at  home  could  have  looked  down 
upon  the  regiment  from  one  of  the  war  balloons  of  that 
time,  they  must  have  concluded  that  we  meant  to  spend  our 
nine  months  there  ;  for  the  soldier  soon  learns  to  arrange  his 
quarters  as  if  his  stay  was  to  be  permanent,  though  he  knows 
full  well  that  at  any  moment  an  order  may  issue  to  strike 
tents  and  move  forward. 

Hon.  A.  C.  Barstow,  of  Providence,  visited  the  regiment 
on  the  1st  of  November.  He  was  present  at  dress-parade, 
and  spent  a  portion  of  the  Sabbath  in  camp.  He  called 
upon  all  the  men  with  whom  he  had  any  acquaintance.  His 
visit  was  greatly  appreciated,  and  so  also  were  the  visits  of 
Messrs.  Salisbury  and  Mason,  two  young  gentlemen  from 
Providence,  who  called  upon  their  friends  in  camp  next  day. 

CONTRASTS. 

The  contrast  between  Sunday,  November  2d,  and  the 
Monday  following  was  quite  marked,  and  was  a  fair  sample 
of  what  we  became  accustomed  to.  In  order  that  the  men 


40  HISTORY    OF    THE 

might  have  full  rest,  the  Colonel  deferred  the  religious  services 
until  towards  night,  and  included  dress-parade.  These  dress- 
parades  received  frequent  compliments  from  visitors,  but  on 
this  occasion  the  display  was  unusually  fine.  The  line  was 
formed  on  the  narrow  hill,  facing  the  west.  It  was  near 
sunset,  and  a  curtain  of  clouds  of  a  neutral  tint  hung  above 
the  horizon,  causing  every  object  to  stand  out  in  bold  relief. 
This  curtain  grew  thinner  as  the  sun  declined.  The  long 
line  of  men,  as  they  stood  at  parade-rest,  every  musket 
aslant,  every  bayonet  flashing  back  the  sunbeams  that 
had  dispelled  the  clouds  and  lit  up  the  western  sky  with 
glory  indescribable,  combined  to  render  the  scene  exceedingly 
impressive.  The  parade  over,  regular  religious  services 
began,  the  Chaplain  preaching  from  Matthew,  5th  chapter 
and  IGth  verse,  kkLet  your  light  so  shine  before  men  that 
they  may  sec  your  good  works  and  glorify  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven."  The  brilliant  display  of  nature,  which 
called  forth  exclamations  from  every  one  able  to  appreciate 
it,  seemed  to  be  a  part  of  the  closing  exercises  of  this  day  of 
rest. 

The  middle  of  the  niglft  brought  a  storm,  and  after  a 
shower  of  rain  we  awoke  in  the  morning  in  the  midst  of  a 
terrible  gale,  that  beat  great  clouds  of  dust  with  the  severest 
fury  upon  our  tents  and  filled  the  streets  for  several  hours. 
It  poked  its  way  into  every  opening  and  fairly  sifted  itself 
through  the  canvas,  so  that  everything  was  covered  with  an 
impalpable  powder  and  a  yellow  hue.  The  men  appeared 
in  the  same  uniform  from  the  eyebrows  to  the  toes.  Thus 
we  had  grit  with  our  food,  and  grit  with  our  drink  ;  grit 
for  breakfast,  grit  for  dinner,  and  grit  for  supper  ;  and  it  was 
thought  that,  if  these  periodical  visitations  were  combined  with 
the  efficient  labors  of  our  Colonel,  there  was  a  promise  of 
grit  enough  to  meet  the  rebels,  and  to  spare. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  41 

WINTER     QUARTERS. 

Rhode  Island  boys  were  not  to  be  baffled  by  the  elements  ; 
they  not  only  met  this  event  in  a  good  spirit,  but  set  to  work 
at  once  to  make  the  most  of  it. 

The  dust  storm  of  Monday,  combined  with  the  increasing 
cold,  inaugurated  a  new  movement.  The  boys  of  the  vari 
ous  companies  began  to  erect  houses  of  various  styles  of 
architecture,  built  with  great  rapidity  and  more  or  less  fitted 
to  protect  us  from  the  weather,  in  however  "questionable 
shape  "  it  might  come.  The  quarters  of  some  were  stock 
aded  two  or  three  feet  from  the  ground,  with  a  double  or  single 
tent  perched  upon  the  top.  Others  dug  down  and  built  up 
also.  Some  were  entirely  of  logs,  with  flat,  or  round,  or 
peaked  roofs,  as  taste  and  rivalry  prompted.  Cook-houses 
and  officers'  quarters  were  roomy,  convenient  and  substan 
tial.  When  it  is  remembered  that  these  were,  perhaps,  but 
for  a  day,  it  shows  the  zeal  of  the  men  for  their  own  com 
fort,  or  from  a  desire  to  exercise  their  ingenuity.  Those 
least  prone  to  work  were  the  most  energetic  in  this  business. 
Company  E,  at  this  time,  began  to  fit  up  a  gymnasium,  a 
work  in  the  right  direction. 

SICKNESS    IN    CAMP. 

The  number  of  men  on  the  sick  list  now  began  to  increase, 
though  there  were  but  few  in  the  hospital  and  no  one  danger 
ously  sick.  There  seemed  to  be  -no  good  reason  for  this. 
The  location  was  healthy.  Perched  on  a  hill,  we  were  free 
from  bad  vapors,  and  pure  air  was  abundant.  Imprudence, 
over-eating  and  drinking  were  doubtless  the  chief  causes  of 
disease  in  the  Eleventh  in  that  early  part  of  the  service,  and 
experience  taught  us  many  good  lessons. 


42  HISTORY    OF    THE 

PICKET    DUTY    AND    THE    FIRST    SNOW    STORM. 

Capts.  Tat't,  Thrasher,   and  Kendrick,   Companies  F,  B, 
and  I,  were  ordered  to  take   their   turn   on   picket,    Friday, 
November    7th.     The   night  before,    the    sun   set    partially 
clouded,    and    the    cold    rapidly    increased.      The   morning 
brought  a  leaden  sky,  such  as  we  had  seen  in  Rhode  Island 
on  a  Thanksgiving  day,  when  lo  !   at  eight   o'clock  it  began 
to  snow.     It  was   no  joke,    and   the  men,   singing  merrily, 
though  inwardly  dreading  the  prospect,  marched  off'  to  their 
posts,  which  extended  for  a  mile  and  a  half  or  two  miles  on 
the    Lewinsville   road.      Huts    of    various    kinds    had    been 
erected  at  these  posts,  and,  having  rations  and  blankets,  the 
boys  prepared  to  spend  the   twenty-four  hours.     The  storm 
of  the  morning  became  a  driving  northern  snow  storm,  which 
lasted  till  seven  in  the  evening,  making  at  least  eight  inches 
of  snow  on  a  level.      It  seemed  a  pretty  good  first  lesson   in 
picket  duty.     This  in   the   sunny   south,  when   a  few  days 
before  the  weather  had  been  like  July.      But  the   men   pre 
pared  to  laugh  at  the  storm.      Rousing  fires  built  in  the  day 
time,  making  abundant  coals  at  night,  enabled  the  pickets  to 
keep  comfortable.      Bread  was  toasted,  sweet  potatoes,  from 
farm-houses   near  by,  were   roasted,    coffee  and    good  fare 
generally,  completed  the  improved  rations.      In  the  hours  of 
sleep  the    men    slept,     contrived    to    be    comfortable,     and 
returned    to    camp    in    the    morning    in    fine    spirits.      One 
improvement  was   suggested,   that  Uncle  Samuel  ought  to 
furnish  all   pickets   with  sweet  potatoes    and    an    umbrella. 
Perhaps  the  boys  should  have  returned  thanks  to  the  rebels 
for   letting  them   alone.     Otherwise  this   duty   might   have 
been  a  different  affair. 


ELEVENTH     IJE(JIMRXT.  43 

CHANGES    OK    OFFICERS    AM)    PROMOTIONS. 

Important  changes  of  officers  were  made  early  in  Novem 
ber.  Capt.  Moss,  of  Company  II,  was  promoted  to  major : 
Second  Lieut.  Frank  Dennis  was  attached  to  Gen.  Cowden's 
staff;  Lieut.  Bacon  was  made  brigade  commissary;  Private 
Samuel  Thurber,  of  Company  I,  was  promoted  to  second 
lieutenant.  The  impression  prevailed  also,  that  our  Adju 
tant  was  to  leave  us,  but  that,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  men,  did  not  happen.  The  change  most  deeply  felt  by 
the  whole  regiment  was  the  removal  of  our  Colonel.  Officers 
and  men  were  filled  with  sorrow  at  the  prospect  of  this  event. 
The  men  felt  that  they  had  lost  a  personal  friend,  and  were 
deeply  impressed  that  they  had  lost  a  leader  in  whom  they 
had  entire  confidence,  while  at  the  same  time  they  wished 
for  him  the  attainment  of  his  most  ardent  hopes  and  the 
most  gratifying  success.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  religious 
service,  Sunday,  November  9th,  an  earnest  benediction  upon 
the  Colonel  was  invoked  by  the  Chaplain. 

COL.  METCALF'S  FAREWELL. 

Before  dismissing  the  regiment,  the  Colonel  addressed  us 
in  appropriate  and  feeling  language.  He  stated  that  he  had 
been  called  to  the  command  of  the  Third  Rhode  Island,  then 
at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C.  He  added,  that  when,  a  few  weeks 
previous,  he  was  offered  the  colonelcy  of  the  Eleventh,  he 
would  have  declined  the  honor  had  not  duty  required  its 
acceptance,  and  now  he  was  surprised  that,  after  the  lapse 
of  so  brief  a  period,  since  his  connection  with  the  regiment, 
he  felt  so  much  regret  in  parting  with  its  officers  and  men. 
Again,  he  felt  that  his  personal  preference  would  now  prompt 
*  him  to  remain,  and  he  only  yielded  to  his  sense  of  duty  in 
accepting  this  new  appointment. 


44  1IISTOKY    OF    THE 

His  connection  with  this  regiment  had  been  from  the  out 
set  an  agreeable  one  ;  its  conduct,  except  in  a  few,  rare  indi 
vidual  cases,  was  deserving  of  praise  ;  -its  progress  had  much 
exceeded  his  anticipations  ;  he  had  been  as  pleased  as  a  boy 
with  the  daily  improvement.  This  he  did  not  consider 
especially  due  to  himself,  but  it  belonged  to  the  regiment, 
and  he  urged  upon  the  men  a  continued  determination  to  be 
nothing  less  than  the  best  regiment  in  the  service.  None 
came  out  here,  said  he,  without  a  greater  or  less  personal 
sacrifice.  He  considered  it  the  highest  privilege  of  every 
soldier  to  fulfil  his  duty  to  his  country,  prompted  by  right 
motives. 

The  success  which  every  man  desired  was  best  procured 
by  a  strict  performance  of  every  obligation,  and  promotion 
otherwise  obtained  was  dishonorable.  We  could  not  always 
have  what  we  deserved,  and  could  not  all  be  major  generals  ; 
he  thanked  God  for  it,  for  there  were  too  many  men  in  the 
service  who  desired  to  do  little  work  and  make  a  great  show. 

He  trusted  that  in  a  few  days  some  leader  would  be  pro 
vided,  in  whom  the  whole  regiment  could  deservedly  feel  the 
confidence  that  had  been  reposed  in  him.  He  hoped  that 
this  regiment,  as  its  promise  was,  would  attain  the  highest 
honors,  and  wherever  he  might  be  he  would  not  begrudge 
them  any  reward  that  might  be  measured  out  to  them. 

Capt.  Cady,  of  Company  K,  was  at  this  time  transferred 
to  the  Second  Rhode  Island  Cavalry,  and  left  camp  for  Provi 
dence  six  days  after  Col.  Metcalf,  Both  appointments  were 
sent  from  Rhode  Island  at  the  same  time. 

GAY    AND    GRAVE. 

The  hours  on  Miner's  Hill  brought  little  variety.  Only 
two  or  three  events  out  of  the  ordinarv  course  transpired 
fro  in  the  Oth  to  the  17th  of  November,  The  fir^t  wan  rather 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  45 

comic  in  its  character.  The  officers  of  our  brigade,  what 
ever  their  personal  conduct  as  temperance  men,  were  wide 
awake  on  the  liquor  question,  and  did  their  best  to  execute 
the  Maine  la\v  most  effectively.  In  their  oineial  capacity 
in  camp,  liquor  was  not  a  sacred  article,  and  liquor  sellers 
were  put  on  a  par  with  the  stuff'  they  sold.  Just  before 
dress-parade  on  Thursday,  the  13th,  a  nice  covered  buggy, 
surrounded  by  a  lively  crowd,  moved  slowly  southward  from 
Gen.  Cowden's  headquarters,  while  a  drum  and  fife,  sound 
ing  merrily,  rang  through  the  camp.  Two  well-dressed 
looking  men  were  seen,  a  soldier  on  each  side,  three  soldiers 
with  charged  bayonets  in  their  rear,  a  drum  and  fife  ahead 
playing  the  Rogues'  March,  marching  with  chop-fallen,  woe 
begone  looking  countenances.  They  marched  across  and 
out  of  our  lines,  cheered  on  by  the  crowd  and  laughed  at  to 
their  hearts'  content,  probably  by  some  of  the  very  chaps 
that  had  previously  imbibed  their  whiskey.  The  majority  of 
the  regiment  rejoiced  at  their  fate. 

The  next  day,  Friday,  most  of  the  companies,  invited  by 
Lieut. -Col.  Pitman,  went  out  for  target  practice.  This  was 
new  and  agreeable  business  to  many,  and  was  repeated  on 
several  other  occasions.  The  green  hands  performed  their  part 
much  better  than  was  expected.  If  shooting  was  to  be  the 
principal  business,  it  seemed  to  be  important  that  we  should 
know  how,  rather  than  "how  not  to  do  it." 

A  sad  serene  on  Saturday  was  the  funeral  procession  of  a 
member  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-third  New  York, 
who  had  been  left  at  the  hospital  of  the  Eleventh,  hopelessly 
sick  of  typhoid  fever.  A  military  salute  was  fired  as  the 
procession  passed  our  lines.  The  drum  band  of  the  regi 
ment  was  detailed  by  Lieut. -Col.  Pitman,  that  music  might 
be  furnished  for  the  occasion.  Thus  the  story  of  mortality 
was  repeated  to  us,  while  our  hearts  could  but  be  thankful 


4fi  HISTORY    OF    THE 

that  the  angel  of  death  had  thus  far  failed  to  lay  his  hand 
upon  any  one  of  the  thousand  of  our  number.  Friends  at 
home  had  gone  before  us  to  their  long  account,  while  we 
remained  in  the  land  of  the  living. 

The  news  of  the  important  changes  at  the  head  of  the 
army  occasioned  some  excitement.  There  was  a  general 
satisfaction  that  one  so  much  loved  and  esteemed  as  a  soldier, 
and  by  the  soldiers,  as  Ambrose  E.  Burnside,  was  deemed 
worthy  to  take  command  of  a  mighty  army.  The  sentiment 
of  the  regiment  then,  was,  God  speed  Rhode  Island's  first 
soldier  !  It  is  a  matter  of  rejoicing,  that  since  the  close  of 
the  war  he  has  been  rewarded  by  the  highest  honors  that  his 
State  can  bestow,  that  he  still  retains  the  love  of  those 
who  followed  his  fortunes  in  the  field,  and  is  honored  and 
esteemed  by  the  citizens  of  a  restored  Union. 

fiOIXG    TO    CHURCH    ON    PICKET. 

Sunday,  the  16th,  was  a  dull,  cloudy  day,  with  hardly  a 
gleam  of  sunshine.  The  routine  of  the  Sabbath  was 
observed.  Companies  H,  F  and  I  were  out  on  picket,  and 
each,  in  their  own  way,  claimed  that  they  had  a  good  time. 
Some  of  the  officers,  and  a  few  of  the  men,  mostly  from 
Company  I,  were  permitted  to  enjoy,  what  they  least  expected, 
the  privilege  to  attend  church  while  not  especially  on  duty 
at  their  posts.  Old  Revolutionary  and  Old  Colony  times 
were  re-enacted.  A  tall  Captain  at  the  head  of  a  squad  of 
men,  inarched  in  good  order,  some  two  miles,  ''armed  and 
equipped  as  the  law  directs,"  to  the  church  at  Lewinsvillc. 
They  were  greeted  at  the  door  by  a  few  persons  faithful  to 
our  glorious  Union  and  faithful  to  God  also.  They  marched 
in,  took  their  seats  in  the  pews,  leaned  their  muskets  against 
the  backs,  and,  in  the  style  of  the  old  Puritans,  bowed 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  47 

their  hearts  and  worshipped.  Loud  and  sweet  notes  of 
praise,  from  male  and  female  voices,  blended  and  filled  the 
house.  The  Chaplain  of  the  Eleventh  officiated  after  the 
usual  New  England  form,  delivering  a  discourse  from 
Hebrews,  (5th  chapter  and  li)th  verse,  to  which  the  audience 
gave  the  closest  attention.  A  considerable  number  of  citi 
zens,  looking  like  good  New  England  farmers,  were  present, 
and  some  dozen  or  more  females,  dressed  in  northern  style, 
intelligent  and  polite  in  their  manners,  able  and  willing  to 
sing,  and  to  appreciate  a  good  sermon.  This  church  and  the 
many  Union  people  who  composed  it  suffered  from  the  war, 
but  the  fire  of  faith  and  the  spirit  of  loyalty  seemed  left  in 
many  hearts,  and  we  could  not  doubt  that  when  the  great 
cloud  which  then  darkened  the  land  was  removed,  the  spirit 
of  the  Lord  would  breathe  upon  a  once  active  organization 
of  one  hundred  members,  only  one  of  whom  was  a  Virginian, 
and  the  "dry  bones  "  would  live  again. 

Some  of  the  Union  families  near  Lewinsville,  that  stood 
up  boldly  for  our  cause,  were  found  out  and  visited  by  the 
Rhode  Islanders. 

But  I  must  not  neglect  to  pay  a  well-merited  tribute  to  a 
Union  family  that  lived  near  Lewinsville,  by  the  name  of 
Woodworth. 

THE   WOODWORTH    FAMILY. 

"Soon  after  our  regiment  reached  Miner's  Hill,  one  day  we 
were  on  picket  duty,  when  a  Chaplain  rode  up  and  presented 
his  pass  from  the  general  in  command,  for  him  to  pass 
through  the  lines  to  Lewinsville.  He  was  going  out  to  visit 
a  Union  family  named  Woodworth,  and  extolled  them  in  the 
highest  terms.  He  urged  the  writer  to  go  out  by  all  means, 
and  make  their  acquaintance.  On  his  way  back,  late  in  the 


48  HISTORY    OF    THE 

day,  ho  repeated  and  urged  his  advice,  that  we  should  find 
this  family  ;  so,  taking  his  directions  as  to  how  to  find  their 
house,  the  "  officer  of  the  day  '  and  the  k  officer  of  the 
guard  '  determined  to  pay  them  a  visit. 

ik  Never  shall  I  forget  that  first  visit  to  the  house  of  this 
excellent  family.  As  we  passed  along  by  one  plantation 
after  another,  we  finally  came  in  sight  of  a  house  that  looked 
more  like  a  northern  home  than  anything  we  had  seen  since 
coming  upon  the  '  sacred  soil  '  of  Virginia.  It  was  painted 
white,  and  had  a  pretty  piazza  in  front.  We  rapped  at  the 
door.  It  was  soon  opened  by  Mr.  Woodworth's  daughter. 
As  the  door  opened,  at  a  glance  we  discovered  several  things 
we  had  not  seen  since  we  landed  in  Virginia  :  First,  a  ladv 
with  her  hair  neatly  combed  ;  second,  with  a  clean,  white 
collar  about  her  neck  ;  third,  a  stove,  other  than  a  cook 
stove  ;  fourth,  a  cabinet  organ  ;  fifth,  paper  upon  the  house 
walls  ;  sixth,  a  carpet  upon  the  floor. 

"We  stayed  to  supper,  and  partook  heartily.  The  table 
was  spread  with  a  clean,  white  table  cover.  The  dishes 
reminded  us  strongly  of  home.  The  nice,  white,  light  flour 
biscuits  were  a  novelty  in  that  country. 

kk  Before  leaving,  we  joined  this  family  in  singing  that 
good  old  hvmn, 

<»» 

'  My  country,  't  is  of  thee, 
Sweet  land  of  liberty, 
Of  thee  I  sing,' 

accompanied  by  the  cabinet  organ. 

••This  visit  was  like  an  oasis  in  the  desert,  or  like  a  spring 
of  fresh  water  in  a  "  dry  and  thirsty  land.'  It  is  safe  to 
say,  that  any  members  of  the  Kleventh  who  had  once  visited 
this  family  were  glad  to  repeat  the  visit.  One  of  the  most 
enjoyable  of  evenings,  was  that  spent  at  the  Woodworths'  one 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  49 

evening,  by  a  company  consisting,  perhaps,  of  ten  or 
twelve  men — captains,  lieutenants,  sergeants  and  men — 
who,  getting  the  countersign,  poured  through  the  entire  length 
of  the  picket  line,  and  made  a  visit  at  this  hospitable  home 
of  Union  people. 

"  We  sang  '  America,'  *•  The  Star  Spangled  Banner,'  '  The 
Red,  White  and  Blue,'  '  The  Sword  of  Bunker  Hill,'  and 
other  stirring  and  patriotic  airs. 

kkThe  old  gentleman,  Mr.  Woodworth,  was,  perhaps,  sixty- 
five  years  old.  He  had  gone  down  into  that  country  many 
years  before  the  war,  from  northern  New  York.  After  the 
disaster  of  the  first  Bull  Run  he  and  his  family  took  refuge 
in  Washington,  and  after  Pope's  repulse,  at  the  second  Bull 
Run,  they  again  withdrew  within  our  lines  at  Georgetown. 

4k  One  day,  not  having  heard  for  some  time  of  any  raids 
by  the  rebel  cavalry  through  that  section,  he  decided  to  run 
the  risk  of  a  visit  to  his  home,  and  to  some  of  his  neighbors 
who  had  remained  at  their  homes.  Walking  up  from  George 
town,  across  'Chain  Bridge,'  and  around,  he  finally  came 
upon  his  home,  now  all  desolate  and  dilapidated. 

"  After  looking  his  place  over  and  attending  to  whatever 
needed  attention,  he  crossed  over  to  one  of  his  nearest  neigh 
bors,  a  member  of  the  same  Presbyterian  church  to  which 
he  belonged,  a  widow,  from  whom  he  learned  that  no  rebel 
uniforms  had  been  seen  there  for  many  days. 

"Emboldened  by  this  bit  of  news,  he  determined  to  run  the 
risk  of  remaining  to  draw  up  for  this  neighbor  a  load  of 
wood  from  the  forest  hard  by,  since  he  found  her  wood-pile 
almost  entirely  exhausted.  This  he  proceeded  to  do.  After 
unloading  the  wrood  he  took  dinner  with  his  friends,  and  then 
stepped  out  to  the  barn  to  give  the  horse  his  dinner. 

k '  As  he  was  going  to  the  barn  he  espied  two  rebel  cavalry 
men  just  galloping  along  towards  the  house,  from  out  of  the 
5 


50  HISTORY    OF    THE 

woods  beyond.  Hoping  he  had  not  been  seen,  he  secreted 
himself  in  the  barn  and  awaited  their  arrival.  Soon  they 
came  up,  hunted  him  out,  took  him  prisoner,  and  carried 
him  over  to  their  headquarters.  He  was  adjudged  a  Union 
man,  and  sent  to  Richmond.  There  he  spent  several  months 
in  prison  and  was  almost  starved.  The  old  man  told  me 
that  while  there,  occurred  the  only  time  lie  ever  stole  in 
his  long  life.  He  said  that  in  carrying  potatoes  to  the  cook, 
he  used  to  purloin  a  few,  put  them  in  his  pocket,  and  eat 
them — raw  potatoes!  so  hungry  was  he.  Finally,  he  was 
set  at  liberty,  in  Richmond,  and  told  to  go  where  he  liked. 
After  walking,  and  sometimes  getting  a  ride  upon  the  cars  for 
a  piece,  he  finally  arrived  at  the  rebel  headquarters,  within 
a  few  miles  of  his  home.  Meantime  the  Union  forces  had 
extended  their  lines  so  as  to  take  in  his  home,  and  his  family 
had  returned.  Here  he  was  stopped  and  not  permitted  to 
go  further.  For  six  weeks  he  was  obliged  to  remain  there, 
near  the  rebel  headquarters,  and  report  every  morning.  He 
must  sleep  upon  the  ground,  and  as  it  was  now  the  fall  of 
the  year,  and  the  nights  growing  cold,  it  brought  on  the 
rheumatism,  so  that  he  suffered  extremely. 

"  One  day  a  small  detatchment  of  our  forces  marched  up 
near  Lewinsville  and  with  a  light  battery  opened  upon  the 
rebels.  The  shot  and  shell  flew  so  promiscuously  about,  that 
the  rebel  forces  were  obliged  to  'skedaddle,'  and  Mr. 
"VVoodworth  was  once  more  permitted  to  go  where  he  liked. 
He  lost  no  time  in  reaching  his  home,  and  has  since  expressed 
no  desire  to  return  to  Richmond." 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  51 

PICKET    EXPERIENCES  AND  ENJOYMENTS  ON    THE    LEWINSVILLE 

ROAD. 

"  For  nearly  three  months  the  Eleventh  Rhode  Island  did 
constant  picket  duty  on  the  front  which  lay  between  Lewins- 
ville  and  Falls  Church.  It  would  fall  to  each  company  to 
'go  on  picket'  about  once  a  week.  No  duty  was -more 
agreeable  to  the  boys.  It  offered  them  every  variety  of 
adventure.  Six  men  were  usually  detailed  for  each  'post.' 

"  One  of  the  picket  lines  began  at  Mr.  Kerby's  and 
extended  to  Mr.  Stuart's  house,  on  the  Lewinsville  road. 
This  Mr.  Kerby  pretended  to  be  a  Union  man,  but  was  at 
heart  a  rebel.  He  had  a  son  in  the  rebel  army.  The  boys 
of  the  Eleventh  sold  coffee  to  him  at  a  very  low  rate,  and  he 
took  it  into  Georgetown  and  sold  it  at  a  very  high  price. 
Each  company  had  at  least  one  tailor,  who  would  make  bed 
sacks.  These  sacks  would  be  carried  out  on  picket  to 
Kerby's,  of  whom  hay  or  straw  could  be  bought  at  a  high 
rate,  and  so  straw  beds  would  soon  render  more  comfortable 
camp  life.  The  second  post  beyond  Kerby's  house  was 
upon  the  hillside,  where  the  road  had  been  dug  down  eight 
or  ten  feet  on  the  one  side  to  level  up  the  other.  One  day 
the  six  men  who  were  detailed  to  this  post,  carried  out  from 
camp  an  ax,  a  hammer  and  nails,  and  two  or  three  shovels. 
Every  two  men  were  on  duty  four  hours,  and  off  eight.  This 
always  left  four  men  off  duty.  These  men  worked  with 
wonderful  skill  and  energy  nearly  all  day,  as  the  weather 
was  quite  cold,  to  build  for  themselves  a  hut  where  they 
could  be  sheltered,  especially  at  night,  from  the  weather. 
They  dug  a  hole  into  the  hillside,  about  eight  or  ten  feet 
square,  with  a  large  fire-place  at  the  rear  end.  The  smoke 
was  carried  up  and  out  from  a  hole  left  in  the  ground 
above.  The  front  of  this  subterranean  hut  was  'boarded 


52  HISTORY    OF    THE 

up  '  with  rails  held  by  stakes  firmly  planted  in  the  ground 
and  the  tops  bound  together  by  withes.  Rubber  blankets 
were  hung  up  on  the  inside  of  this  rail  barricade  and  over 
the  place  left  for  a  doorway,  so  as  effectually  to  keep  any 
light  from  shining  out  from  the  fire  in  the  fire-place.  The 
top  was  first  covered  with  rails,  upon  which  was  thrown 
boughs  and  limbs  of  trees,  and  dirt  upon  the  top  of  all. 
This  made  very  comfortable  barracks  for  night  for  these 
men,  and  well  did  they  enjoy  the  fruit  of  their  labor. 

u  At  another  post,  where  no  arrangement  of  this  sort  was 
practicable,  a  large  stove,  or  fire  pot,  was  made  in  the  ground 
by  digging  and  covering  with  large,  flat  stones,  and  building  a 
chimney  at  the  farther  end.  Here  a  huge  fire  would  be  kept 
through  the  afternoon,  and  when  the  sun  had  set  and  the 
countersign  was  put  on,  then  the  draft  for  the  fire  was  stopped 
up,  the  chimney  covered,  and  every  precaution  taken  to 
allow  the  fire  to  keep  until  morning.  Then  through  the 
lon<r  hours  of  the  ui<»'lit  the  two  men  would  march  from  this 

c  r> 

common  point  in  opposite  directions  through  the  length  of 
their  proper  beat,  '  about  face,'  and  return,  to  halt  a  moment 
upon  this  covered  bed  of  coals  and  thus  keep  their  feet  warm. 
Still  other  devices  were  used  to  diminish  their  hardships  and 
add  to  the  comforts  of  picket  duty. 

*4In  one  case  a  large  hut  or  wigwam  was  made  from  rails 
and  brush,  so  thick  and  compact  that  no  light  from  the  warm 
fire  could  be  detected  through  this  opaque  environment. 

4 'Some  strange  adventures  were  occasionally  experienced 
in  the  course  of  picket  duty.  In  the  earlier  history  of  the 
regiment,  of  course  the  soldiers  were  to  be  instructed  in 
their  duties.  Sometimes  officers  felt  called  upon  to  put  the 
trustworthiness  of  their  men  to  the  test.  One  night,  just 
after  the  countersign  had  been  put  on,  a  first  lieutenant  sent 
a  corporal  from  one  post  past  another  to  a  brook  for  a  pail 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  "h) 

of  water.  He  directed  him  to  go  forward  by  the  men  on 
duty  as  though  the  countersign  had  not  been  put  on,  unless 
stopped  by  the  guard.  If  he  should  be  halted,  then  to  stop 
and  give  the  countersign.  Just  about  time  enough  had 
elapsed  for  the  soldier  to  reach  the  next  post,  when  there 
rang  out  upon  the  still,  quiet  evening  air,  quick  and  sharp, 
'Halt!  halt! — halt,  or  I  fire.'  Bang  went  the  rifle,  with 
out  a  moment's  pause.  Quick  as  thought,  officers  and  men 
were  running  down  to  the  next  station,  their  hearts  fluttering 
with  the  fear  that  the  proposed  trial  of  fidelity  had  proved  a 
tragedy.  They  were  quickly  relieved,  however,  by  finding 
the  corporal  safe  and  sound,  and  that  the  shooting,  which 
had  proceeded  from  the  station  beyond  the  brook,  at  the 
edge  of  the  wood,  was  occasioned  by  the  running  of  a  cow, 
which  had  been  challenged  in  the  darkness,  and  not  respond 
ing,  but  continuing  her  rapid  retreat,  had  been  fired  upon. 
It  is  safe  to  affirm  that  that  lieutenant  tried  no  further  experi 
ments  after  that  fashion.  This  old  cow  belonged  to  a  Mr. 
Stuart,  whose  wife  was  sister  to  Jackson,  the  hotel  keeper 
at  Alexandria,  who  shot  Ellsworth. 

"The  Stuart  family  lived  in  a  miserably  dilapidated  house, 
just  opposite  the  last  picket  post,  on  the  Lewinsville  road. 
In  going  'grand  rounds,1  the  officer  of  the  day  passed  this 
house,  and,  as  stories  were  quite  in  vogue  how  rebels  visited 
the  house  by  night,  to  get  information  concerning  our  forces, 
a  sharp  lookout  was  kept,  and  every  suspicious  circumstance 
was  thoroughly  examined.  One  night,  an  exceedingly  dark 
night,  as  the  officer  was  making  the  'grand  rounds,'  he 
discovered  some  one  cautiously  creeping  across  the  open  lot 
towards  the  Stuart  house.  Of  course,  the  navy  revolver 
was  quickly  whisked  out  of  the  belt  and  cocked.  Then,  to 
make  sure  work,  the  officer  crept  carefully  along  towards 
the  offending  intruder,  until  the  nearness  and  constant 


54  HISTORY    OF    THE 

peering  into  the  darkness,  finally  revealed  the  dim  outline 
of  Stuart's  horse,  quietly  grazing  in  the  grass  field.  No 
one  will  doubt  that  the  revolver  was  quickly  returned  to  its 
place,  and  'grand  rounds'  continued  without  causing  the 
camp  to  be  alarmed. 

"Mr.  Stuart  had  two  boys,  nearly  the  same  age,  of  per 
haps  from  ten  to  twelve  years.  One  of  these  lads  always 
proclaimed  himself  a  Union  boy,  and  the  other  always  as 
confidently  pronounced  himself  a  rebel.  Each  had  a  kitten 
to  which  he  manifested  a  strong  attachment.  The  Union 
boy  named  his  kitten  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  the  secesh  lad 
called  his  pet  Jeff.  Davis.  The  boys  often  had  hard  words 
with  each  other,  upon  political  subjects,  and  the  rebel  boy 
always  contended  that  his  cat,  Jeff.  Davis,  was  going  to  kill 
Abraham  Lincoln.  It  happened  that  a  few  nights  after  a 
sharp  wrangle  of  this  nature,  a  door,  which  had  fallen  from 
its  hinges,  had  been  set  up  in  its  place,  and  by  some  sudden 
gust  of  wind  was  blown  over,  and  fell  upon  the  cat 
Abraham  Lincoln,  and  crushed  it  to  death.  The  Union  boy 
mourned  the  death  of  his  favorite  with  unfeigned  grief,  but 
the  rebel  youth  apparently  rejoiced  with  true  joy,  and  said  : 
'I  told  you  so,  and  Jeff.  Davis  is  going  to  kill  Lincoln,  too, 
and  you  may  depend  upon  it.'  So  coming  events  cast  their 
shadows. 

"  Sergeant  B.,  of  Company  II,  relates  that  while  the  regi 
ment  was  on  Miner's  Hill,  and  picketing  the  road  to  Levv- 
insville,  a  special  lookout  was  kept  over  the  house  where  the 
sister  of  the  rebel  Jackson,  the  slayer  of  Ellsworth,  lived, 
as  it  was  supposed  to  be  a  rendezvous  for  rebel  spies.  On 
one  night,  when  Sergeant  B.  was  on  duty,  the  sentinel  on 
the  beat  nearest  Lewinsville,  halted  a  person  who  was  about 
to  cross  his  beat,  and  kept  him  at  the  point  of  his  bayonet 
until  the  sergeant  relieved  him  of  his  prisoner,  who  proved 


ELEVENTH    KEGIMKXT.  55 

to  be  a  second  lieutenant  of  the  regiment,  who,  having  a  fond 
ness  for  ladies'  society,  had  been  gone  all  of  the  afternoon, 
and  not  having  the  countersign  was  taken  prisoner  on  his 
return.  There  was  no  doubt  in  the  lieutenant's  mind  but 
what  the  sentinel,  'Gen.  Scott,'  took  a  grim  satisfaction  in 
doing  his  duty  that  night. 

"The  same  sergeant  recollects  that,  being  stationed  at  the 
end  of  the  Lewinsville  road,  nearer  Falls  Church,  one  very 
cold  evening,  he  was  cautioned  by  the  retiring  sergeant  to 
pay  particular  attention  to  a  house  about  a  mile  distant, 
where,  it  was  said,  signals  were  made  at  night  to  the  enemy. 
His  orders  were,  if  the  lights  were  displayed,  (which  was 
supposed  to  be  the  mode  of  signaling,)  to  ascertain  the  cause, 
and  take  steps  to  suppress  it.  It  was  his  usual  plan  to  be  up 
himself  with  the  first  relief.  He  recalls  how  cold  it  was,  as, 
sitting  by  the  fire  which  was  built  on  the  bluff,  he  was  roasting 
in  the  face  and  freezing  at  his  back.  Nothing  occurred  the 
first  part  of  the  night,  but  he  was  awakened  shortly  after 
retiring,  by  the  corporal,  who  informed  him  that  the  signals 
were  being  made.  The  sergeant  came  out,  and  sure  enough, 
there  was  the  light.  Here  was  an  opportunity  which  he 
had  long  been  waiting  for ;  a  chance  to  distinguish  himself, 
perhaps  to  capture  some  rebel  spies.  It  might  be  a  general, 
perchance  the  cavalry  general,  which  the  regiment  had  been 
sent  out  to  the  cross  roads  to  intercept  a  few  weeks  before. 
Filled  with  these  thoughts  he  woke  his  sleeping  men, 
explained  to  them  the  situation,  and  asked  for  volunteers. 
Selecting  the  three  who  seemed  the  most  eager  to  go,  they 
started  for  their  prey.  On  nearing  the  house,  he  disposed 
his  men  so  as  to  approach  it  in  four  directions,  expecting  to 
surprise  the  rebels.  Reserving  to  himself  the  approach  to 
the  light,  as  he  drew  nearer  he  discovered  that  what  had  been 
mistaken  for  signal  lights  was  the  glare  of  the  light  from  a 


•)()  HISTORY    OF    THE 

room,  on  the  side  of  an  out-building,  which,  from  the 
picket  post,  looked  like  something  very  suspicious.  On 
arriving  in  the  yard  he  found  an  ell  to  the  main  building  all 
alight,  but  no  person  in  sight.  Looking  in  at  the  window,  he 
saw  a  room  entirely  bare  of  furniture,  with  a  fire  blazing  in 
the  open  fire-place,  and  on  the  floor,  covered  with  an  old  and 
ragged  quilt,  a  negro,  sleeping.  The  main  building  was 
shrouded  in  darkness.  By  this  time  the  sergeant  was 
rejoined  by  his  men,  and  placing  his  hand  on  the  latch  of 
the  door,  he  pushed  it  open  and  all  marched  in.  As  they 
halted,  their  muskets  came  to  an  order,  and  the  noise  awoke 
the  negro,  who  was  so  frightened  he  could  hardly  answer 
the  questions  demanded  of  him,  but  which  he  did  finally 
answer  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  sergeant,  who  withdrew  with 
his  men  and  left  the  negro,  fully  satisfied  that  his  chance  for 
distinction  by  capturing  a  rebel  was  destroyed  for  that  night 
at  least.  As  the  sergeant  was  never  afterwards  at  that  post 
again,  he  cannot  tell  whether  the  negro  died  of  fright  or 
subsequently  became  a  member  of  Congress." 

On  our  picket  line  were  many  houses  where  meals  could 
be  had  for  a  reasonable  consideration,  an  opportunity  which 
officers  and  men  were  not  slow  to  improve.  At  some  places 
the  families  were  true  blue,  and  at  others  they  had  taken  the 
oath  of  allegiance  and  were  "  blue  "  without  the  true.  The 
Eleventh  regiment  maintained  throughout  their  entire  term 
the  reputation,  expressed  in  the  language  of  this  people, 
"  there  never  has  been  no  better  behaved  regiment  in  this 
neighborhood."  There  was  no  good  reason  why  the  people 
with  whom  we  came  in  contact  should  not  receive  kind 
treatment  at  our  hands  ;  leaving  to  the  government  to  do 
justice  to  all  who  deserved  merited  punishment, 


ELEVENTH    REOIMEXT.  57 

(JEN.  COWDEN'S  HEADQUARTERS. 

The  headquarters  of  Gen.  Cowden,  wlio  commanded  our 
brigade,  were  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Miner,  who  owned  the 
hill  where  we  were  encamped,  and  a  large  tract  of  land  about 
it.  The  cluster  of  buildings,  including  that  in  which  the 
General  and  his  wife  then  resided,  were,  from  their  age  and 
roughness,  worthy  of  a  place  in  Lossing's  Field  Book. 
Logs  predominated  in  most  of  them,  and  the  wind  whistled 
merrily  through  the  walls  of  some  of  the  out-buildings. 

OTHER    CAMPS. 

Almost  directly  north  of  the  headquarters,  but  hidden  by 
a  small  piece  of  pine  woods,  was  the  camp  of  the  Twenty- 
second  Connecticut,  in  an  opening  surrounded  by  a  forest  of 
pines,  which  broke  the  force  of  the  winds  and  saved  it  from 
bleakness.  In  one  thing  the  Connecticut  boys  were  quite 
ahead  of  us.  They  had  a  splendid  national  banner,  which 
floated  high  above  their  encampment,  and  quite  outshone  that 
of  any  regiment  we  had  seen. 

The  Fortieth  Massachusetts  were,  as  before  mentioned, 
encamped  in  a  valley  to  the  left  of  the  General's  headquarters. 
With  their  background  of  evergreen,  and  the  distant  hills 
bounding  the  horizon,  the  picture  \vas  a  very  pleasing  one. 
The  Blue  Ridge  (fifty  miles  distant,  it  was  said,)  could  be 
plainly  seen  in  the  northwest,  with  one  peak,  called  by 
some  "Sugar  Loaf,"  and  by  others  "Slaughter  Mountain," 
crowning  the  range. 

GEN.    COWDEN. 

The  General  was  frequently  present  when  the  Eleventh  was 
out  on  parade  or  drill,  and  his  tall  figure  became  as  familiar 
as  those  of  our  own  officers.  He  was  also  often  present, 


")8  HISTORY    OF    THE 

sometimes  with  several  ladies,  at  dress-parade,  and  at 
religious  services.  Sometimes  he  was  mounted,  and  at  other 
times  on  foot.  His  bearing  was  soldierly,  gentlemanly  and 
commanding  ;  his  hair  reddish,  with  heavy  whiskers,  and 
distinctly  marked  features.  He  had  well  earned  the  reputa 
tion  of  a  brave  and  energetic  soldier,  such  as  the  Rhode 
Island  boys  were  ready  and  eager  to  follow.  In  obedience 
to  orders  they  felt  willing  to  remain  a  long  time,  if  need  be, 
in  that  position,  but  would  have  rejoiced  if,  in  a  position  of 
greater  activity,  they  could  have  aided  more  directly  in  the 
great  purpose  for  which  they  were  called  into  service. 

The  following  anecdotes  of  Gen.  Cowden  are  vouched  for 
by  a  member  of  the  Ambulance  Corps.  They  illustrate 
traits  which  made  him  popular  with  his  men  : 

"On  the  first  night  after  the  Ambulance  Corps  was 
brigaded,  a  number  of  us  comrades  sat  round  a  large  camp 
fire.  We  were  seated  on  logs.  Jt  got  to  be  about  eight 
o'clock,  and  I  looked  and  saw  somebody  right  ahead,  and, 
said  I,  '  How  are  you  ?'  said  he,  'Halloa!'  "We  might 
make  room  for  one  more,'  said  I.  '  Who  might  you  be?  ' 
said  another.  4  My  name  is  Cowden,'  he  answered.  k  What ! ' 
said  we,  k  the  boss  of  this  crowd?'  He  says,  'I  am.' 
'  What  you  up  here  for?  '  said  we.  He  said,  '  I  was  kind 
o'  homesick,  and  saw  a  crowd  around  this  fire  and  thought 
I  would  come  up.'  So  he  spun  his  yarn  the  same  as  the 
rest  of  us.  He  would  tell  his  story,  and  the  boys  would  tell 
theirs  ;  and  so  the  hours  passed  pleasantly  witli  the  General 
and  his  men,  till  he  took  out  his  watch,  and  saying,  '  I  guess 
it  's  about  time  I  was  going  home,'  he  bade  us  good-bye  and 
went  to  his  quarters.'' 

Gen.  Cowden  could  answer  a  question  with  a  little  story, 
after  the  style  of  President  Lincoln,  as  the  following  account 
will  show  : 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  59 

'k  At  Mills'  Cross  Roads,  after  we  had  been  there  awhile, 
the  chief  of  the  Ambulance  Corps  said  to  me,  '  You  hitch 
up  and  go  back  to  camp  and  get  rations  for  the  men  and 
horses.'  I  said  I  would,  and  while  I  was  hitching  in  the 
horses,  the  General  (Cowden)  stood  about  thirteen  feet 
from  me,  and  up  came  one  of  the  colonels — I  had  an  idea 
from  his  appearance  it  was  Col.  Porter — and  he  said,  'Gen 
eral,  I  want  to  ask  you  one  question.'  'Ask  as  many  as 
you  please,  and  I  will  answer,'  said  the  General.  '  I  would 
like  to  know,'  said  the  Colonel,  '  why  you  placed  these  regi 
ments  in  the  shape  of  a  letter  V  ?  The  Fortieth  Massachu 
setts  here  ;  the  Connecticut  Twenty-second  here,  and  the 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-first  New  York  there,  and  you  put 
the  Eleventh  regiment  way  down  in  the  woods.'  The  Gen 
eral  replied,  '  If  Stuart's  Cavalry  should  come  this  way,  I 
calculate  that  when  Stuart  comes  up,  he  is  going  right  by 
yours,  and  the  other  regiments,  but  they  will  never  get  by 
the  Eleventh  Rhode  Island.'  The  Colonel  being  satisfied, 
turned  on  his  heel  and  went  to  his  regiment." 

AN    UNPLEASANT    UNCERTAINTY. 

The  19th  of  November  furnished  a  good  illustration  of 
the  uncertainty  of  things  military.  An  order  was  issued  on 
that  day  to  be  in  readiness  to  march  at  ten  minutes'  notice. 
The  news  sped  to  our  friends  at  home.  It  did  us  no  imme 
diate  harm,  for  weeks  passed  before  the  order  was  actually 
given,  but  it  came  near  costing  us  a  Thanksgiving  dinner. 
The  committee  in  the  city  of  Providence  who  had  obtained 
contributions  for  this  purpose  and  made  ready  to  forward  the 
supplies,  suspended  operations  on  receipt  of  the  news  that 
we  had  orders,  to  march.  We  became,  in  consequence, 
more  faithless  as  to  such  orders,  which  proved  to  be,  as  a 
waggish  comrade  expressed  it,  ""only  a  cautionary  word." 


60  HISTORY    OF    THE 

BOXES    FROM    HOME. 

About  this  time  a  tide  of  boxes  from  home,  with  nice  things 
for  the  men  of  the  regiment,  set  in.  On  one  day  it  would  be 
fifty,  on  another  thirty,  then  seventy-five,  and  again  fifty, 
so  that  the  Quartermaster,  it  was  said,  became  alarmed  at 
the  influx  ;  but  lie  brought  them  to  camp  with  commendable 
promptness,  and  his  patience  was  hardly  ever  exhausted.  A 
great  variety  of  articles  came  in  these  boxes,  and  in  some 
cases  in  a  "questionable"  shape.  Sometimes  a  bottle  of 
peppermint  or  some  other  essence  was  packed  in  the  box 
with  a  cloth  around  the  cork  to  make  it  extra  tight.  But 
the  cloth,  in  rebellion  at  such  a  contrivance,  quietly  soaked 
up  all  the  essence  and  distributed  it  among  all  the  other 
articles  in  its  company,  a  result  which  the  friends  at  home 
did  not  anticipate.  These  good  gifts  were  fully  appreciated. 
The  men  needed  them,  because  they  were  expressions  of  love 
and  sympathy,  which  greatly  cheered  them  in  the  kind  of 
life  which  deprived  them  of  the  sweet  and  elevating  influ 
ences  of  home. 

"WHO    (JOES    THERE?" 

An  amusing  discussion  arose  at  this  season  of  our  service 
as  to  the  matter  of  challenging  sentinels,  and  for  a  while  it, 
rivaled  in  magnitude  the  discussion  of  years  since,  "Will 
saltpeter  explode?  "  The  parties  were  the  three  months' 
men,  the  officers,  the  United  States  regulations,  and  the  raw 
recruits.  On  any  day  or  evening,  after  guard  or  picket  duty 
had  been  performed  by  any  of  the  companies,  you  could 
hardly  pass  a  tent  but  you  might  hear,  "  Who  goes  there?  " 
"Halt!"  "Advance,"  "Grand  rounds,"  etc.  Neither 
party  was  inclined  to  yield,  and  the  subject  gave  way,  in 
time,  to  some  new  excitement. 


ELEVENTH    KKCJIMKNT.  ()1 

Tin;    WEATHER DISSOLVING     VIEWS. 

The  weather  tor  the  week  ending  Sunday  was  very  try 
ing,  a  cold  rain  and  wind  prevailing  most  of  the  time. 
Sunday,  the  23d,  was  so  unpleasant,  raw  and  blustering 
that  religious  services  were  omitted,  except  that  at  dress- 
parade,  which  had  an  innovation  that  reminded  us  strongly 
of  home,  Gov.  Sprague's  Thanksgiving  Proclamation  was 
distinctly  read  in  our  hearing  by  the  Chaplain,  who  also 
proclaimed  that  our  Providence  Plantation  and  Rhode 
Island  friends  had  resolved  to  remember  us  very  substan 
tially'  on  that  day.  We  could  not  cheer,  we  had  no  orders, 
but  each  heart  beat  a  little  quicker,  and  the  thoughts  of  a 
regiment  of  men  sped  five  hundred  miles  in  double-quick 
time. 

Dress-parade  was  rather  tough  at  that  season,  and  our 
commander,  Lieut. -Col.  Pitman,  who  had  seemed  consider 
ate  on  several  occasions  for  the  health  and  comfort  of  the 
•men,  treated  us  to  a  movement  which  stirred  the  boys  up 
considerably.  Just  after  the  Chaplain  concluded  the  religious 
service,  and  we  were  a  little  shivery,  we  quickly  formed  com 
panies  and  moved  up  and  down  our  parade  ground  at  double- 
quick,  until  we  became  thoroughly  warmed  up.  It  was  an 
agreeable  sight  to  see  so  large  a  number  of  men  on  a  meas 
ured  trot,  and,  under  those  chilling  circumstances,  the  boys 
enjoyed  it. 

BAKED  BEANS  AM)  HOAST  BEEF. 

When  the  men  had  become  so  accustomed  to  soldier  life 
that  they  planned  as  if  they  expected  to  stay,  they  improved 
their  cook-houses  as  well  as  their  quarters,  and  increased 
their  facilities  for  cooking.  Coming  from  Yankee  land  thev 
were  bound  to  gratifv  their  desire  for  baked  beans.  Thev 


62  HISTORY    OF    THE 

scoured  the  country  for  the  bricks  of  tumbled-down  houses, 
transported  them  sometimes  for  a  long  distance  and  built 
ovens  for  each  company,  or  two  companies  united  and  shared 
an  oven  between  them.  Uncle  Sam  furnished  the  beans  and 
the  pork.  Boiled  beans  soon  fell  below  par.  In  one  instance, 
on  Miner's  Hill,  when  a  load  of  bricks  had  been  secured  for 
one  of  the  companies,  the  commandant  of  the  regiment 
(not  Col.  Metcalf)  spied  them  as  they  were  about  to  be 
dropped  and  ordered  them  to  be  carried  to  his  own  quarters. 
The  Captain  of  that  company,  however,  did  not  intend  to 
be  cheated  out  of  his  bricks  in  that  style.  He  ordered  out 
his  company  for  drill  the  next  morning,  requiring  every  man 
to  take  his  knapsack  strap,  marched  them  off  to  a  spot 
where  the  bricks  could  be  found,  and  each  man  marched 
home  with  half  a  dozen  bricks  in  his  strap,  unloaded  them 
at  the  cook's  quarters,  and  the  oven  was  built.  Of  brown 
bread  there  was  none,  for  Uncle  Sam  did  not  furnish  "hog 
and  hominy,"  as  the  Confederacy  did.  Wheat  bread  and 
hard-tack  were  the  only  kinds  provided. 

The  ovens  served  to  provide  roast  beef  as  well,  and  thus 
the  government  rations  were  supplemented  with  dishes  which 
could  not  have  been  enjoyed  had  the  regiment  been  always 
on  the  march.  The  men  who  confined  themselves  to  gov 
ernment  rations,  which  were  abundant  and  of  good  qual 
ity,  and  let  the  sutler  and  the  pie  vender  alone,  were  among 
the  healthiest  in  the  regiment.  Some  of  the  companies 
accumulated  a  considerable  fund  from  the  sale  of  uncon- 
sumed  rations,  and  used  them  for  the  benefit  of  the  company 
in  various  ways. 

As  Thanksgiving  approached,  the  landscape  about  us  began 
to  change  materially,  an  1  rjminde  1  us  of  tli3  dissolving  views 
of  the  stereopticon.  The  leaves  had  almost  wholly  deserted 
all  but  the  evergreen  trees,  and  we  could  see  the  hills  beyond 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  63 

them,  and  also  many  a  dwelling  that  had  been  shut  out  from 
view.  Camp  after  camp  appeared  in  the  distance  that  we 
knew  nothing  of  before.  The  village  of  Falls  Church  as 
well  as  the  church  spire  could  be  seen,  and  every  now  and 
then  the  locomotive  and  cars  of  the  Alexandria  and  Lees- 
burg  Railroad  emerged  into  view  and  gladdened  the  sight. 

THANKSGIVING. 

This  New  England  festival  came  on  the  27th  of  Novem 
ber.  It  was  truly  a  day  of  thanksgiving  to  the  boys  of  the 
Eleventh,  and,  to  no  small  extent,  of  u  sending  portions  of 
good  things."  We  were  agreeably  disappointed  in  the 
weather,  for  on  the  night  before  a  fierce  cold  wind  and  a 
cloudy  sky  gave  token  of  a  cloudy,  snowy  day  to  follow, 
but  the  morning  was  calm  though  frosty,  the  sun  rose  in 
beauty,  and  strange  to  say,  as  those  who  took  their  morning 
walks  through  the  woods  to  the  brook,  can  testify,  the  birds 
sang  us  a  sweet  thanksgiving  song. 

The  regiment  was  disappointed  in  one  respect.  They  had 
set  their  hearts  upon  an  entire  holiday  ;  but  after  a  short 
religious  service  about  ten  o'clock,  we  had,  per  order,  more 
than  an  hour  of  battalion  drill.  It  was  endured  by  the  men 
with  the  best  grace  possible. 

Our  public  worship  was,  of  course,  conducted  by  the 
Chaplain,  who  read  the  148th  Psalm,  and  the  regiment  sang 
America — 

"  My  country,  'tis  of  tliee." 

A  brief  and  appropriate  address  followed,  in  which  Mr. 
Gould  set  forth  the  remembrances  of  home,  the  duty  of  being 
thankful,  the  mercies  which  day  by  day  overlapped  the 
trials  and  hardships  by  which  we  were  surrounded,  and,  in 


64  HISTORY    OF    THE 

conclusion,  urged  the  duty  of  praise  and  gratitude  to  the 
Giver  of  all  good.  A  fervent  prayer  to  God  for  His  bless 
ing  and  the  singing  of 

"  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow," 

concluded  the  exercises,  which  did  not  exceed  twenty  minutes 
in  length. 

The  remainder  of  the  day  was  spent  in  anticipation,  in 
feasting  and  enjoyment.  The  regiment  expected  a  Thanks 
giving  dinner  from  Rhode  Island,  and  they  knew  that  three 
large  loads  came  in  the  night  before",  and  more  would  be 
here  at  mid-day.  In  due  time  they  arrived,  and,  as  box 
after  box  appeared,  short  faces  and  merry  ones  soon  had  the 
majority.  As  the  boxes  were  opened  and  their  contents 
displayed,  a  Hogarth  only  could  have  done  justice  to  the 
scene.  In  some  messes  the  plenty  reminded  one  of  the 
quails  in  the  wilderness  ;  in  others  nothing  was  received  ; 
but  the  liberal  souls  were  many,  and  great  effort  was  made 
that  all  might  be  pleasantly  reminded  of  Thanksgiving  at 
home. 

An  impression  also  prevailed  that  a  dinner  would  be  sent 
from  Rhode  Island  beside  the  individual  donations  in  boxes, 
and  some  had  urged  their  friends  to  delay  their  boxes  in 
consequence.  From  various  causes  a  few  of  the  men  were 
unprovided. 

Messrs.  Talbot  and  Prince,  of  Providence,  were  a  com 
mittee  to  bring  these  gifts  to  the  regiment,  and  it  was 
through  great  energy  on  their  part,  and  the  presence  in 
Washington  of  the  Quartermaster,  one  of  our  Captains,  and 
the  Chaplain,  that  the  boxes  came  in  season. 

The  writer  learned  from  Messrs.  Talbot  and  Prince  of 
the  liberality,  kindness  and  attention  of  the  officers,  agents 
and  employees  of  the  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad  Com 
pany.  They  charged  not  a  cent  of  freight  from  New  York 


ELEVKXTII    KKCJI.MKNT.  <>"> 

to  Baltimore,  and  relieved  the  committee  of  all  trouble  on 
their  part. 

"  A.  D.  N."  puts  it  in  this  way:  ik  Intelligence  having 
reached  camp  that  the  entire  regiment  was  to  be  supplied 
with  on  old-fashioned  Rhode  Island  Thanksgiving  dinner,  at 
an  early  hour  everybody  was  on  the  alert,  .  .  .  for 
notwithstanding  six  tons  of  poultry  left  Providence,  as  is 
alleged,  for  the  Eleventh  regiment,  there  was  not  enough 
for  a  dinner  for  one  thousand  men.  One  of  two  things  must 
be  true,  the  men  of  this  regiment  are  terrible  eaters  or  six 
tons  of  poultry  never  left  Providence  for  its  Thanksgiving 
dinner."  He  goes  on  to  say  that,  "  with  Company  B  every 
thing  was  lovely."  Its  officers  made  bountiful  preparations 
for  each  and  for  all.  One  hundred  and  seventy-five  pounds 
of  turkey  were  forwarded  to  the  Company  by  friend  Dis- 
peau,  of  Pawtucket.  A  second  edition  of  Thanksgiving  was 
enjoyed  by  Company  B  on  its  return  from  picket,  at  which, 
beside  turkey  and  fixings,  there  was  a  plum  pudding,  pre 
pared  by  their  cook,  Mr.  Church,  and  there  was  a  special 
remembrance  of  friends  at  home. 

The  officers  on  Thanksgiving  day  sat  down  to  a  table 
bountifully  spread  by  the  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  doubtless 
in  somewhat  better  style  than  the  privates  ;  but  on  the  Fri 
day  after,  eleven  persons  sat  down  to  a  table  in  what  was 
called  the  "  Hotel  de  Miller,"  which  was  so  spread  that  the 
private  soldiers,  for  the  time,  believed  that  they  fared  as 
well,  and  had  hearts  as  joyful  as  their  superiors.  Appropri 
ate  toasts  added  zest  to  the  occasion. 

If  feasting  and  thanksgiving  are  synonymous,  it  was 
expanded  into  Sunday  and  after  ;  for  the  pickets  which  were 
out  on  Saturday  and  on  Sunday  morning,  performed  duty 
on  the  drumsticks  or  carcass  of  a  turkey,  as  well  as  guarded 
the  road  to  Lewinsvillp. 


l)h  HISTORY    OF    THK 

THE    REGIMENTAL    HOSPITAL    AM)    BRIGADE    CHANGES. 

4kA.  D.  N.'s  "  excellent  account  of  a  visit  to  the  hospital 
we  transcribe  here  : 

"  The  hospital  is  in  a  dwelling-house  situated  about  half  a  mile 
from  camp,  and  of  course,  under  the  charge  of  Surgeon  Perry  and 
assistants,  aided  by  Mr.  J.  S.  Pervear,  Jr.,  of  Pawtucket,  as  Hos 
pital  Steward;  Mr.  E.  A.  Browne,  of  Central  Falls,  as  Ward  Master, 
and  Mr.  C.  C.  Holland,  of  the  same  place,  as  Chief  Nurse.  There 
are,  at  the  present  time,  twenty-eight  patients  in  the  hospital.  The 
diseases  are  chiefly  fever,  dysentery  and  rheumatism.  The  inmates. 
I  think,  are  better  cared  for  by  surgeons  and  nurses,  and  greater 
pains  are  taken  to  gratify  their  numerous  wishes,  than  in  any  other 
regimental  hospital  in  this  vicinity.  Much  pains  is  also  taken  to 
gratify  the  appetites  of  the  sick  men,  many  delicacies  being  fur 
nished  for  them  by  private  contribution,  articles  not  provided  for 
by  'regulation,'  such  as  cakes,  lemons,  oranges,  apples,  milk, 
oysters,  preserves,  etc.  Thanksgiving  day  was  duly  observed  at 
the  hospital." 

We  note  here  some  changes  in  Cowden's  brigade.  On 
the  night  of  the  25th  of  November,  the  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-first  Ne\v  York  suddenly  appeared  as  our  neighbors, 
taking  the  place  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-third  New 
York,  which  left  us  a  few  weeks  previous,  and  the  Sixteenth 
Virginia  arrived  on  the  4th  of  December,  which  gave  Gen. 
Cowden  five  regiments  for  his  brigade.  To  these  were  added 
the  First  Virginia  battery,  which  constituted  a  part  of  the 
defence  of  the  hill.  This  battery  was  composed  mostly  of 
Germans.  Their  orders  were  given  in  German.  They  had 
been  in  the  service  more  than  eighteen  months  and  in  many 
battles.  They  were  a  fine-looking  set  of  men,  and  our  boys 
were  much  amused  to  hear  the  orders  given  in  a  language 
which  was  all  Greek  to  Rhode  Islanders. 

The  weather  then  was  especially  fine  and  the  roads  in 
good  condition,  the  men  were  as  ignorant  as  friends  at  home  of 


ELEVENTH    IS  KG  I M  EXT.  (57 

tin-  movements  of  the  army  of  the   country,    and    only    wild 
rumors  as  to  their  own  future  were  to  be  obtained. 

SKIRMISH    AND    OTHER    DRILL. 

The  whole  regiment,  on  the  2d  of  December,  received 
orders  from*  Gen.  Cowden  to  drill  as  skirmishers.  This 
somewhat  elated  the  men,  because  one  or  two  companies 
only  were  generally  drilled  for  that  service.  Their  ardor 
was  dampened  somewhat  by  an  order  on  the  following  day, 
doubling  the  hours  of  drill :  allowing  an  hour  and  a  half 
each  for  company  drill,  and  bayonet  exercise.  The  latter  drill 
was  useful  and  pleasing,  but  the  boys  felt  that  the  drill  rein  was 
drawing  rather  tight,  especially  as  the  battalion  drill  in  the 
afternoon  was  more  likely  to  be  lengthened  than  diminished. 
There  would  naturally  be  some  grumbling,  but  the  men  con 
sidered  that  all  orders  were  to  be  cheerfully  obeyed  and  the 
profit  or  loss  charged  to  the  benefit  of  the  country.  All  this 
was  more  easily  borne  because  the  officers  were  required  at 
tin's  time  to  attend  an  evening  school  for  instruction,  under 
the  charge  of  Lieut. -Col.  Pitman.  In  fact,  great  pains  were 
then  bestowed  upon  the  improvement  of  the  regiment  with  a 
view  to  active  service,  and  if,  at  that  period,  any  were  ready 
for  a  rose-water  experience  and  a  rest  in  comfortable  winter 
quarters,  the  experience  of  the  few  following  months  took 
this  out  of  them  effectually  and  made  them  eager  for  a  move 
to  the  "front."  The  health  of  the  regiment  at  this  season 
was  far  better  than  could  have  been  expected.  Our  hospital 
arrangements,  before  referred  to,  w:ere  unsurpassed.  The 
other  regiments  in  the  brigade  sent  four  times  as  many  as 
the  Eleventh  to  the  general  hospital,  while  those  in  our  own 
hospital  were  not  dangerously  sick. 


US  IIISTOIiY    OF    THK 

BRIGADE    DRILL INTENSE    COLD. 

On  the  afternoon  of  December  4th,  a  very  satisfactory 
brigade  drill  was  had  under  Gen.  Cowden's  command.  We 
learned  in  due  time  that  the  movements  by  brigades  and 
divisions  were  but  multiples  of  the  movements  of  the  smaller 
organizations,  and  were  reminded  of  the  stories  told  of 
Napoleon's  orders  in  the  height  of  his  power,  "My  king 
doms,  by  the  right  wheel,  march  !  "  The  same  day  was  made 
memorable  by  the  advent  in  camp  of  the  wives  of  Dr.  Perry, 
Chaplain  Gould,  and  Capt.  Kendrick.  It  is  needless  to  say 
that  they  were  expected  by  their  lords,  and  that  comfortable 
quarters  had  been  provided  for  them. 

On  the  day  after  the  review  we  had  another  of  those 
interesting  seasons  of  falling  into  line  of  battle,  having  been 
ordered  to  appear  at  reveille  armed  and  equipped,  the  roll 
bein<>-  called  after  the  line  was  formed.  We  were  treated 

O 

immediately  upon  this  to  a  short  battalion  drill  before  sun 
rise,  which  we  came  to  regard  as  our  commander's  favorite 
exercise.  The  only  gain  that  the  boys  could  see  in  all  this 
was  an  exhibition  of  promptness  in  turning  out,  a  sharpen 
ing  of  appetites  for  breakfast,  and  the  satisfaction  of  learning 
that  all  the  commands  in  Abercrombie's  division  were  sim 
ilarly  treated,  minus  the  battalion  drill. 

On  the  Sunday  morning  following,  Companies  B,  C,  and 
I  were  sent  out  on  picket.  The  men  on  this  duty  were 
always  allowed  a  large  liberty,  and  they  prepared  to  resist 
the  cold,  for  it  scarcely  thawed  all  day.  It  was  an  amusing 
sight  on  that  snapping-cold  morning  to  observe  the  fanciful 
arrangements  of  the  blankets  of  the  men.  Axes  rested  on 
the  shoulders  of  some  ;  hatchets  in  the  belts  of  others  ;  coffee 
pots  perched  on  bayonets  high  in  air ;  sheet-iron  stoves  were 
lashed  on  the  backs  of  several,  or  borne  by  two  on  a  pole  in 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 

the  line  ;  with  an  appropriate  song  or  two  at  starting,  and 
hearts  beating  any  tune  but  sadness,  they  started  off.  As 
they  passed  the  guard  of  the  Fortieth  Massachusetts,  the 
faces  of  the  guard,  in  spite  of  the  sober,  serious  "present 
arms,"  which  military  style  demands,  were  upon  the  broad 
grin.  With  such  an  equipment  they  could  laugh  at  the  cold. 
That  battalion  drill  at  early  dawn  happened  to  be  the  drill 
for  the  day.  A  snow  storm  came  on  about  ten  o'clock, 
which  lasted  far  into  the  night  and  probably  ceased  in  a  con 
flict  with  the  moon,  the  latter  coming  off  victor.  The  winds 
were  aroused  and  the  cold  increased  to  an  extent  that  for 
bade  the  melting  of  the  snow,  and  gave  us  the  coldest  and 
most  blustering  day  of  the  season.  The  snow  was  about  as 
deep  as  in  the  storm  of  November.  Dress-parade  was 
shortened.  The  lips  of  the  fifers  and  the  fingers  of  the 
drummers  refused  to  do  their  office.  The  dress-parade 
experiment  was  not  tried  the  next  day. 

THE    CHAPEL. 

Sunday  morning  in  camp,  the  7th  instant,  was  spent  in 
the  usual  way.  In  the  afternoon,  by  invitation,  all  who 
were  so  disposed  proceeded  to  the  chapel,  and  listened  to  an 
excellent  discourse  from  Chaplain  Gould.  Lieut. -Col.  Pit 
man  and  other  officers  were  present.  The  presence  of  ladies 
also  added  to  the  homelike  character  of  the  occasion.  Of 
course  there  was  the  usual  service  of  song,  reading  Scripture 
and  prayer. 

This  chapel,  or  as  one  correspondent  called  it.  our  "Log 
Church,"  was  built  for  regimental  purposes,  or  dining  hall 
of  the  field  officers,  and  used  for  religious  services,  by  the 
Lieutenant-Colonel's  permission,  on  Sundays  and  week-days. 
It  was  transported  log  by  log  two  miles  and  set  up  midway 


70  HISTORY    OF    THK 

on  the  cast  of  our  encampment,  on  a  line  with  the  Colonel's 
quarters.  It  was  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  feet  square, 
with  steep,  square  roof,  all  of  logs,  the  peak  twenty  or 
twenty-five  feet  from  the  ground.  It  was  well  plastered  out 
side  and  in,  with  mortar  manufactured  from  the  soil.  It  had 
a  chimney,  fire-place  and  sky-lights.  Had  the  interior  been 
plastered  as  at  home,  it  would  have  been  regarded  as  a  good 
lecture  room.  The  foundation  was  laid  and  its  erection 
superintended  by  Mr.  Thomas  Seekell,  of  Company  D,  for 
merly  of  Providence. 

THE    WEATHER BATHING QUARTERS    FOR    BOXES. 

The  extreme  cold  gave  way  to  wonderfully  warm  weather. 
The  middle  of  December  came  and  passed,  and,  notwithstand 
ing  rumors  of  departure,  we  remained  at  Miner's  Hill. 
Sunday  and  Monday,  the  14th  and  15th,  were  summer  days, 
and  on  the  latter  day  many  of  the  men  bathed  in  the  brooks 
near  by. 

A  rage  for  obtaining  photographs  of  themselves  and  their 
quarters  grew  up  just  then  among  the  officers.  One  of 
those  groups  included  Gen.  Cowden.  They  were  greatly 
cherished  by  the  friends  at  home. 

The  first  death  in  the  regiment  occurred  on  the  15th 
instant,  William  J.  Wyman,  of  Company  D.  Tuesday 
brought  rain  and  a  gale,  and  Wednesday  brought  snow 
squalls  and  winter  once  more,  proving  that  the  weather  at 
that  season  was  quite  as  changeable  as  at  the  north. 

A  first-class  sensation  sprung  up  suddenly,  because  the 
men  were  charged  a  quarter  for  all  boxes  from  home,  brought 
to  them  from  Washington.  The  Quartermaster  was  roundly 
blamed,  but  there  is  now  no  doubt  of  the  fact  that  he  simply 
obeved  orders,  and  that  the  money  did  not  go  into  his  hands. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  71 

but  into  the  regimental  fund.*  Whatever  were  the  good 
intentions  in  this  respect,  there  still  remains  an  opinion  that 
1 '  somebody  blundered. ' ' 

The  news  of  Burnside's  disaster  at  Fredericksburg, 
received  in  camp  a  few  days  after  the  event,  caused  general 
sorrow,  and  all  the  more  because  the  Eleventh  was  power 
less  to  aid  in  retrieving  the  loss. 

VARIOUS    EVENTS. 

The  death  of  Comrade  Wyman  produced  that  impression 
of  peculiar  sadness  likely  to  result  from  the  first  death  in  a 
thousand  men  all  from  the  same  locality.  His  funeral  took 
place  on  Thursday,  the  18th. 

Among  the  pleasant  events  of  that  season  was  a  visit 
from  Hon.  A.  C.  Barstow,  of  Providence,  with  wife  and 
daughter. 

The  Sixteenth  Virginia  regiment  encamped  near  us  about 
the  middle  of  this  month,  composed  of  stragglers  from  other 
regiments.  The  boys  will  remember  it  as  recruited  in 
Alexandria,  commanded  by  Col.  Close,  and  composed  of  a 
motley  crew  of  rough,  hardy-looking  fellows. 

A  new  arrangement  of  the  mails,  which  had  been  irregu 
lar,  enabled  us,  early  in  December,  to  get  our  letters  at  four 
o'clock  each  day,  Sundays  excepted.  The  letters  were 
delivered  by  the  Chaplain,  who  acted  as  postmaster,  to  the 
orderly-sergeant  or  clerk  of  each  company,  immediately  after 
dress-parade.  The  delivery  of  the  letters  to  the  boys  in  the 
various  company  streets  was  an  occasion  of  lively  and  inde 
scribable  interest. 

There    was   some  unpleasant   fatigue  duty   performed   at 

*Thls  was  stopped  by  an  order  from  headquarters:. 


72  HISTORY    OF    THE 

this  time.  The  occasion  of  drawing  long  and  heavy  logs 
for  a  store-house  for  the  Quartermaster's  department,  by 
order  of  our  commander,  was  not  specially  agreeable  to  the 
boys,  and  the  only  consolation  they  had  was  that  "it  was  all 
in  the  nine  months." 

On  the  wonderfully  warm  day  and  night  of  the  loth,  Com 
pany  B  was  ordered  on  a  secret  expedition.  They  were 
excused  from  battalion  drill  and  made  themselves  ready  for 
duty.  At  five  o'clock  they  marched  to  the  railroad  near 
Falls  Church  and  remained  as  pickets  ibr  the  night.  A  por 
tion  were  stationed  at  proper  intervals  on  the  highway, 
crossed  by  the  railroad,  while  the  main  body  remained  in 
an  open  field  near  by,  and  those  who  slept,  had  the  privilege, 
of  enjoying  their  nap  in  the  open  air.  All  this  because  a 
rebel  cavalry  raid  was  feared,  and  also  on  account  of  the 
presence  of  some  guerillas  in  the  neighborhood.  Everything 
went  well  until  about  half- past  four  o'clock,  when,  according 
to  "A.  D.  N.,"  from  whose  letter  this  account  is  taken,  it 
commenced  raining  "big  guns"  in  the  "old  Virginia"  style, 
which  wet  us  through  and  through  in  double-quick  time. 
At  six  o'clock  we  formed  in  line  and  started  for  camp,  tired, 
wet  and  hungry,  and  completely  satisfied  with  our  first 
"secret  expedition."  They  saw  "naryareb."  A  large 
number  of  the  company  received  the  full  benefit  of  the 
shower  bath,  for,  in  order  that  they  might  do  their  whole 
duty,  even  those  who  were  sick  in  their  quarters  arose  and 
joined  the  expedition. 

On  the  19th,  a  brigade  review  by  Gen.  Cowden  came  oft', 
and  on  the  22d  instant,  a  brigade  inspection  and  review,  by 
Gen.  Abercrombie.  The  latter  was  at  Hall's  Hill,  two  or 
three  miles  from  camp.  The  former  was  witnessed  by  a 
large  number  of  spectators,  including  some  ladies.  It  is 
described  bv  "A.  I).  N."  as  larger  than  a  dozen  Providence 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  73 

4th  of  Julys.  Five  regiments  of  infantry  and  one  battery 
were  in  line  at  the  latter,  comprising  about  five  thousand 
troops.  Gen.  Abercrombie,  it  is  said,  expressed  much  sat 
isfaction. 

DEATH    OF     HOSPITAL    STEWARD    PERVEAR. 

Jacob  S.  Pervear,  an  enlisted  young  man  of  excellent 
character,  in  Company  B,  serving  in  the  important  post  of 
Hospital  Steward,  who,  by  his  kind  and  obliging  manners, 
had  endeared  himself  to  the  officers  and  men  of  the  regi 
ment,  died  on  the  23d  of  December  after  a  short  illness  of 
typhoid  fever.  He  was  buried  on  the  24th  with  appropriate 
ceremonies.  We  take  our  account  from  the  letter  of  "A. 
D.  N.,"  in  the  Pawtucket  Gazette  and  Chronicle: 


"The  ambulance  containing  the  remains  was . preceded  by  an 
escort  composed  of  the  non-commissioned  staff  of  the  regiment 
and  sixteen  men  of  Company  B,  under  the  command  of  Sergeant 
Crocker,  accompanied  by  the  drum  corps.  The  officers  and  men 
of  Company  B  followed  in  the  rear  of  the  procession.  Arriving  at 
the  parade-ground,  the  coffin  was  taken  from  the  ambulance  and 
placed  on  a  '  stretcher,'  when  appropriate  services  were  performed 
by  the  Chaplain,  consisting  of  prayer,  reading  of  Scripture,  and 
brief  remarks;  after  which  three  volleys  were  fired  by  the  escort 
from  Company  B,  and  the  remains  were  replaced  in  the  ambulance 
to  be  conveyed  to  Washington,  thence  to  the  home  of  the  deceased, 
in  charge  of  his  brother,  Mr.  Henry  Pervear,  who  arrived  in  camp 
on  the  22d  instant.  Several  other  companies  of  the  regiment  were 
present  on  the  occasion,  besides  a  large  number  of  civilians,  as 
well  as  members  of  other  regiments  in  the  brigade.  In  the  course 
of  his  remarks,  Chaplain  Gould  made  the  following  appropriate 
poetical  quotation: 

"  Ye  number  it  in-  days  since  he 

Strode  up  the  foot-worn  aisle, 
With  his  dark  eye  flashing  gloriously, 
And  his  lip  wreathed  with  a  smile: 


74  HISTORY    OF    THE 

Oh,  had  it  been  but  told  you  then 

To  mark  whose  lamp  was  dim, 
From  out  those  ranks  of  fresh-lipped  men, 

Would  ye  have  singled  him? 

***** 

His  heart  in  generous  deed  and  thought, 

No  rivalry  might  brook, 
And  yet  distinction  claiming  not, 

There  lies  he— go  and  look." 

MERRY    CHRISTMAS    IN    CAMP. 

The  picket  line  of  our  brigade  was  considerably  extended 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  and  required  a  detail  of  live 
companies,  instead  of  three  as  formerly.  Fine  weather 
greeted  us  on  Thursday,  which  was  Christmas  morning.  The 
men  had  been  graciously  relieved  from  the  customary  drills, 
when,  lo  !  at  breakfast  time  came  the  order,  "Fall  in,  with 
arms  and  equipments. ' '  In  a  few  minutes  the  regiment  was  in 
line  of  battle,  and  remained  so  for  perhaps  an  hour.  This 
was  followed  by  an  order  to  stack  arms  and  break  ranks. 
This  was  promptly  obeyed  by  hungry  men.  The  line  was 
re-formed  at  ten  o'clock,  arms  were  taken  and  the  men  dis 
missed,  but  required  to  wear  their  equipments  until  noon, 
when  they  were  ordered  off. 

Barring  the  incidents  just  described,  and  the  encumbrances 
which  the  men  could  not  shake  off  until  ordered,  they  sought 
enjoyment  according  to  their  own  good  pleasure.  A  large 
number  of  boxes  from  home  to  help  the  men  make  merry 
with  their  friends,  being  reported  at  Washington,  they  were 
sent  for  by  order  of  Gen.  Cowden.  The  quarters  of  many 
of  the  officers  and  men  were  decorated  in  honor  of  the  day. 
Gen.  Cowden  was  serenaded  in  the  evening  by  the  boys  of 
the  Fortieth  Massachusetts. 

One  writer  says  that  the  alarm  in  the  morning  was  occa- 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  75 

sioncd  by  heavy  firing  heard  at  an  early  hour,  and  another 
says  the  morning  was  foggy  and  Gen.  Cowden  did  not  want 
to  be  caught  napping.  On  the  evening  following,  Gen.  Cow- 
den  was  serenaded  by  the  officers  of  the  Eleventh  regiment. 
The  General  responded  to  the  compliment  in  a  brief  speech, 
asking  them  to  follow  only  where  he  led.  He  was  a  man  of 
deeds  rather  than  words.  He  stated  that  he  had  been  in 
thirteen  battles  and  four  skirmishes  since  the  war  began. 
The  weather  for  rather  more  than  a  week  previous  to  the 

3()th  instant,  was  exceptionally  fine  and  mild. 

• 

MILLS'  CROSS  ROADS. 

About  half-past  eleven  o'clock  on  Sunday  night,  the  28th 
instant,  the  significant  long  roll  sounded  in  our  drowsy 
ears.  There  was  no  mistake  about  it,  though  it  was  the  first 
time  most  of  us  had  heard  it.  It  said  very  plainly  :  "Turn 
out !  "  and  with  hardly  a  second  thought,  the  regiment  were 
out,  armed  and  equipped,  into  the  streets  in  a  few  minutes. 
But  another  order,  more  strongly  impressed,  came  :  "  Pack 
your  knapsacks  and  leave  behind  what  you  don't  need  and 
cannot  carry."  This  order  was  obeyed,  and  inside  of  half  an 
hour  the  regiment  was  in  line  of  battle  on  the  parade-ground. 
Adieu  to  many  a  turkey,  and  many  a  nice  cake,  and  to  quan 
tities  of  good  things  just  arrived  in  many  boxes  from  the 
loved  ones  at  home.  But  there  was  no  alternative,  no 
repining,  and  no  delay.  Unexpected  presents  were  made, 
and  stomachs  were  distended  to  meet  the  emergency,  all  in 
short  metre.  Oh  !  the  comfortable  quarters  that  we  were  to 
leave  behind,  to  be  forsaken  for  shelter  tents  and  the  damp, 
cold  ground.  Nothing  was  destroyed,  however  ;  new  comers 
might  have  the  benefit,  and  then  we  might  return. 


76  HISTORY    OF    THE 

The  whole  brigade  was  out.  The  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-first  New  York  was  left  to  guard  the  hill,  the  Six 
teenth  Virginia  remained,  and  one  section  of  the  battery. 
The  column  did  not  move  till  more  than  half  an  hour  after 
midnight.  The  writer  passed  along  the  line  to  observe  the 
spirit  of  the  boys.  It  was  a  full  turnout.  Songs  were 
sung,  jokes  were  cracked  ;  all  were  in  excellent  spirits  for 
the  work  before  them.  The  effect  of  so  sudden  an  order 
upon  a  body  of  men  accustomed  to  obey  without  questioning 
was  surprising.  They  only  knew  that  they  were  to  march  ; 
they  did  not  know,  and  seemed  to  care  little,  where. 

We  moved  at  the  word  of  command  ;  the  Twenty-second 
Connecticut,  the  Fortieth'  Massachusetts,  and  the  Eleventh 
Rhode  Island.  It  was  a  fine  moonlight  night,  no  drums 
beating,  no  loud  talking ;  Ave  were  ordered  to  move  on  the 
sly.  Two  sections  of  the  First  Virginia  battery  accompa 
nied  the  column ;  ammunition  wagons,  and  ambulances 
carrying  ammunition,  were  in  the  train,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  we  understood  that  we  were  marching  to  meet  the 
enemy  if  we  could  get  within  shooting  distance  of  him. 
The  route  was  in  a  southwesterly  direction.  A  halt  of  about 
ten  minutes  was  made  at  Falls  Church,  and  then  forward 
till  we  reached  Mills'  Cross  Roads,  some  five  or  six  miles 
from  Miner's  Hill.  The  route  was  over  roads  in  a  horrid 
condition,  through  mud  and  water,  through  woods  and 
briars,  over  fences  and  broken  bridges,  double  or  single  file, 
picking  and  threading  our  way,  half  moonlight  and  half 
darkness,  for  three  hours  and  a  half.  This,  in  heavy  march 
ing  order ;  some  knapsacks  were  very  heavy,  and  the  mettle 
of  the  men  was  severely  tried.  The  mud  holes  were  nearly 
or  quite  knee  deep.  About  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  we 
filed  to  the  right  and  formed  in  line  of  battle  in  a  large  field. 
Orders  were  given  to  load  and  cap  with  as  little  noise  as 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  77 

possible  ;  to  unstrap  blankets  and  wrap  them  around  us  to 
protect  us  against  the  chill  of  an  atmosphere  filled  with  mist. 
Company  B  was  sent  out  on  picket  on  the  road  to  Vienna, 
and  Company  I  in  the  opposite  direction,  to  give  notice  of 
the  enemy's  approach.  The  men  will  not  soon  forget  how 
they  waited  till  dawn,  and  sunrise,  and  broad  daylight,  and 
no  enemy  appeared.  Three  rebel  cavalrymen,  taken  prisoners 
by  our  cavalry,  passed  in  review  before  us  in  the  morning. 
Their  appearance  was  not  prepossessing  ;  they  had  straggled 
and  were  taken  in.  The  Fortieth  Massachusetts,  the 
Twenty-second  Connecticut,  and  the  battery,  were,  like  the 
Eleventh  regiment,  posted  so  as  to  give  the  enemy  a  warm 
reception. 

Information  came  to  the  headquarters  of  our  division  that 
a  body  of  Stuart's  Cavalry,  some  twenty-five  hundred  men, 
were  in  the  vicinity,  in  fact  had  destroyed  about  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  government  property  at  a  place 
three  miles  below  Miner's  Hill,  and  our  brigade  was  ordered 
out  to  intercept  them.  But  the  bird  had  flown,  passing  that 
way  half  an  hour  before.  He  was  too  sharp  for  Gen.  Aber- 
crombie,  commander  of  the  division,  who  had  another  brigade 
in  position  not  far  from  Cowden's  to  assist  in  the  hoped  for 
capture  of  the  rebels.  It  seems  that  when  the  Union  forces 
were  at  Mills'  Cross  Roads,  Stuart  was  at  the  other  cross 
roads  a  mile  and  a  half  distant.  Rumor  said  that  except 
for  positive  orders,  Gen.  Cowden  would  have  pushed  on 
beyond  the  cross  roads  and  we  should  certainly  have  met 
them.  True  or  not,  we  believed  he  had  the  grit  to  do  so. 
Old  fogyism,  so  we  thought  then,  would  never  have  caught 
more  than  half  a  dozen  of  Stuart's  cavalry  at  a  time.  The 
Blunt  and  Heron  style  was  needed  to  nab  them. 

Uncertain  as  to  future  movements,  we  remained  in  our 
position  the  most  of  Monday.  Camp  fires  were  lighted  in 


78  HISTOKY    OF    THE 

the  frosty  morning,  except  by  the  pickets,  and  burned 
through  the  splendid,  warm  spring-like  day.  Additional 
rations  were  brought  and  served  out  to  us  before  noon.  By 
four  o'clock  we  had  coffee.  The  boys  had  sought  what  rest 
they  could  get,  had  pitched  their  shelter  tents  for  the  first 
time,  and  began  to  be  merry,  when  we  were  ordered  to 
strike  tents  and  take  a  new  position  in  a  clean  pine  wood. 
Scarcely  were  they  pitched  a  second  time,  and  the  men, 
though  early,  had  begun  to  turn  in,  when  again  the  order 
was  given  ;  it  was  promptly  obeyed,  and  the  regiment  was 
quickly  in  line  of  battle.  A  half  an  hour  of  waiting  and 
we  took  up  our  line  of  march  over  the  same  rough  road  by 
a  glorious  moonlight  for  about  five  miles,  marched  into  our 
company  streets,  gave  a  grand  shout,  and  retired  about  ten 
o'clock  in  the  old  quarters  to  rest. 

Thus  ended  our  first  attempt  to  get  at  the  enemy.  It 
was  tough,  sharp  work.  The  men  behaved  well,  and  seemed 
sorry  that  the  effort  was  a  fruitless  one.  Half  the  regiment 
were  out  on  picket  Saturday,  and  up  to  the  time  of  our 
return  had  had,  at  most,  but  six  hours'  sleep.  A  stronger 
force  turned  out  for  this  expedition  than  at  dress-parade  on 
Sunday. 

VARIETY NKW    YEAH. 

The  boys  were  permitted  to  rest  until  reveille,  but  Tues 
day  night,  when  a  misty  rain  set  in  and  a  heavy  vapor 
enveloped  our  hill,  the  ominous  long  roll  sounded  at  nine 
o'clock  ;  we  formed  in  line  of  battle  ;  but  were  soon  sent  to 
our  quarters  and  ordered  to  sleep  on  our  arms.  To  crown 
that,  our  knapsacks  were  packed  ready  to  march  at  a  moment's 
warning.  From  daybreak  the  next  day  until  sunset,  we 
were  treated  to  a  succession  of  outs  and  ins,  pack  and 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  <  V) 

unpack,  sufficient  to  provoke  us,  excite  our  laughter,  and 
make  us  submissive  to  any  order.  Regularity  in  picket  duty 
was  resumed  Wednesday  morning.  That  was  the  beginning 
of  the  end  ;  for  though  owing  to  firing  on  the  picket  lines, 
the  long  roll  was  beaten  again  at  two  o'clock  New  Year's 
morning,  it  amounted  to  nothing  more  than  breaking  the 
rest  of  several  thousand  men  apparently  for  no  good  cause. 

On  the  morning  of  the  last  day  of  the  year  the  men  were 
mustered,  in  the  usual  tedious  style,  for  two  months'  pay. 
Hundreds  of  men  in  the  regiment  needed  their  pay  for  the 
first  three  months.  They  had  to  wait  until  they  could  get  it. 

New  Year's  day  came.  The  pickets,  who  had  expected 
stormy  weather,  cani3  in  on  that  fine  morning  to  great  their 
comrades  in  camp  with  a  Happy  New  Year.  To  recur  again 
to  the  march  to  Mills'  Cross  Roads.  There  were  many  con 
flicting  newspaper  accounts  at  the  time  ;  but  now  it  seems 
clear  that  a  large  body  of  rebel  cavalry  marched  through 
and  out  of  our  lines  on  the  morning  of  December  29th, 
not  far  from  where  we  were  drawn  up  in  order  of  battle. 
The  cavalry  pickets  skirmished  with  them  and  captured  a 
few,  Gen.  Cowden's  brigade  chased  them  and  proceeded  as 
far  as  orders  would  permit. 

RKVIEW    OF    THREE    MONTHS*    SERVICE. 

Tuesday,  January  6th,  1863,  marked  the  end  of  three 
months'  service  for  the  Eleventh  regiment.  In  that  period 
we  saw  quite  a  variety  of  soldier  life,  though  we  made  but 
few  moves.  We  had  been,  however,  neither  idle  nor  in  a 
position  of  little  consequence.  Steel  had  not  crossed  steel, 
death-shots  had  not  been  exchanged,  and  we  had  not  been 
enveloped  in  the  smoke  of  battle.  Every  available  hour 


tf  HISTORY    OF    THE 

was  used  to  prepare  us  for  the  deadly  conflict.  We  earned 
the  commendation  of  our  first  Colonel  and  of  the  General 
commanding  our  brigade,  for  the  progress  we  had  made. 

The  regiment  enjoyed  a  large  measure  of  health.  There 
were  admitted  to  the  hospital  within  the  three  months, 
eighty-one  patients  ;  sent  to  the  general  hospital,  four  ;  died, 
two  ;  returned  to  duty,  forty-five  ;  remaining  in  the  hospital, 
thirty.  The  prevailing  diseases  were  typhoid  malarial  fever, 
diarrhoea  and  rheumatism.  The  percentage  of  deaths  was 
very  small.  It  was  usually  ten  to  fifteen  per  cent.  The 
plan  of  retaining  the  sick  in  our  own  hospital  differed  from 
that  of  surgeons  in  most  regiments. 

This  favorable  result  was  largely  due  to  the  elevated  local 
ity  in  which  the  regiment  was  posted.  When  first  stationed 
there,  no  man  thought  the  place  fit  to  stay  in  for  a  day,  but 
after  three  months'  experience,  hardly  any  one  would 
exchange  it  for  that  of  any  camp  in  the  region.  The  camps 
of  our  neighbors  looked  well  and  were  made  comfortable  for 
the  season.  The  Twenty-second  Connecticut  quarters  were 
wholly  log  cabins,  regularly  laid  out ;  the  Fortieth  Massachu 
setts  had  tents  stockaded  with  logs  or  boards  ;  the  One  Hun 
dred  and  Forty-first  New  York  occupied  Sibley  tents,  while 
the  camp  of  the  Eleventh  combined  the  style  of  the  Connecticut 
and  Massachusetts  regiments.  The  Medical  Inspector  of 
Abercrombie's  division,  after  a  visit  at  that  time  to  the  various 
camps  in  the  division,  reported  the  "Twelfth  and  One  Hun 
dred  and  Eighteenth  New  York,  the  Fortieth  Massachusetts, 
and  Eleventh  Rhode  Island,  as  models  of  cleanliness  and 
good  order." 

The  regiment  was  in  fine  condition  for.  active  service. 
Out  on  picket  every  four  days,  the  boys  had  a  constant  taste 
of  something  beside  their  snug  and  comfortable  quarters  in 
camp,  and  on  the  10th  of  January  an  order  was  issued 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  K 

for  the  pickets  to  remain  on  duty  forty-eight,  instead  of 
twenty-four,  hours.  Happily  we  encountered  no  enemy  on 
the  picket  line,  though  in  the  outermost  post  of  the  defences 
of  AVashington,  and  in  an  exposed  position.  Not  many 
months  after,  Mosby's  guerrillas  gobbled  up  eighty  men  of  a 
Massachusetts?  regiment  near  Falls  Church,  inside  of  our 
lines. 

NEW  YEAR'S  AND  NEW  ORDERS. 

New  Year's  day  passed  as  pleasantly  as  such  a  life 
would  permit.  At  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  Gen.  Cow- 
den's  staff  presented  to  him  a  newr  sash,  belt  and  sabre. 
"A.  D.  N."  says:  "He  was  surprised  in  the  arms  of 
Morpheus." 

Every  one  knows  that  New  Year's  is  the  day  of  all  days 
for  turning  over  a  new  leaf,  and  our  Lieutenant-Colonel 
seemed  determined  not  to  be  out  of  fashion,  and  at  dress- 
parade  we  had  a  series  of  most  important  orders,  which 
made  every  man  prick  up  his  ears  and  listen.  We  will  add 
just  here,  that  our  Adjutant,  in  whom  the  boys  all  took  a 
just  pride,  read  these  orders  .with  a  positive  snap,  so  that 
every  man  could  hear  and  receive  no  uncertain  sound.  On 
this  occasion  the  most  noticeable  order  was  that  enforcing 
the  Third  Article  of  War,  which  forbids  the  "low,  demoral 
izing  and  disgusting  habit  of  profane  swearing,"  imposing  a 
fine  and  imprisonment  if  necessary.  Another  order,  read  at 
the  time,  made  the  non-commissioned  officers  responsible  for 
the  conduct  and  bearing  of  the  men  when  in  line  or  on  the 
march.  It  concluded  :  "It  will  doubtless  be  found  the  case 
that  where  any  regiment  has  been  false  to  its  name  or  colors, 
it  has  been  owing  to  a  want  of  discipline  in  these  matters. 


82  HISTORY    OF    THE 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  name  of  the  Rhode  Island  Eleventh 
will  never  be  tarnished.  To-  prevent  this,  we  must  remove 
all  causes  that  like  this  would  affect  its  discipline,  destroy 
mutual  confidence,  cause  confusion,  and  thus  impair  its 
strength  in  time  of  action." 

The  last  order  of  the  series  required  that  the  officers  of 
companies  should  immediately  ascertain  and  report  as  to  the 
amount  of  clothing  which  their  men  would  want  for  the 
next  three  months. 

About  this  time  a  Sixteenth  Virginia  boy  was  shot  in 
trying  to  pass  the  pickets  of  the  Fortieth  Massachusetts. 
This  regiment  was  composed  of  about  as  remarkable  a  set  of 
fellows  as  Sir  John  Falstaff's  Coventry  boys. 

The  weather  at  that  season  was  generally  pleasant,  but 
storms  were  frequent  enough,  however,  to  make  it  unfit  for 
military  movements.  Rain  and  mud,  wind  and  dust,  and 
snow  enough  to  carpet  the  ground,  all  visited  us  in  a  short 
period.  "A.  D.  N."  wrote:  "One  needs  to  see  the 
4  sacred  soil '  after  a  heavy  rain  to  form  any  idea  of  its 
richness.  It  is  clear  as  mud  and  slick  as  grease.  If  we 
don't  return  covered  with  glory,  we  shall  return  covered  with 
dirt,  for  mud  is  everywhere." 

CHANGES  AND  ORDERS  TO  MOVE. 

The  new  year  brought  changes  in  the  officers  of  the  regi 
ment.  Lieuts.  Ayer,  Metcalf,  and  Howard  were  made  cap 
tains  and  assigned  to  Companies  A,  II,  and  E,  respectively. 
Second-Lieuts.  Stone  and  Mathewson  were  made  first 
lieutenants  of  Companies  E  and  G.  First-Lieut.  Joseph 
T.  Snow  was  transferred  from  Company  Gr  to  Company  I. 
Second-Lieut.  Cross,  of  Westerly,  was  assigned  to  Com 
pany  G,  and  Second-Lieut.  Samuel  Thurber  was  assigned 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  83 

to  Company  K.  Company  I  rejoiced  in  Capt.  Howard's 
promotion,  but  deeply  regretted  his  loss  to  themselves. 
They  had  learned  to  estimate  his  worth  as  a  man  and  his 
abilities  as  an  officer.  They  had  become  strongly  attached 
to  him,  and  they  felt  that  Company  E  gained  a  leader  worthy 
of  a  higher  position  than  captain. 

An  order  came  Sunday  afternoon,  January  llth,  to  be 
ready  to  march  at  short  notice.  Of  course  this  was  a  sur 
prise  to  the  boys,  and  they  were  not  officially  informed  as  to 
their  destination,  but  guessed  that  they  would  be  ordered  to 
perform  guard-duty  at  the  Convalescent  camp. 


PREPARATIONS    FOR    MOVING. 

There  is  a  place  enshrined  in  every  heart,  the  thought  of 
which  weaves  itself  into  the  events  of  life  and  tempers  its 
experience  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  That  spot  is  home. 
There  are  secondary  homes  also,  which,  like  the  reflected 
rainbow,  bear  stronger  or  fainter  resemblance  to  the  true,  as 
the  state  of  the  atmosphere  in  the  one,  or  surrounding  cir 
cumstances  in  the  other,  permits.  In  the  ever-shifting  life 
of  the  soldier  he  sometimes  remains  weeks  or  months,  as 
the  Eleventh  did,  on  the  same  ground  ;  it  is  a  temporary 
home  to  him.  He  becomes  attached  to  it,  and  regrets  to 
leave  it,  especially  if  he  has  spent  no  little  time  and  inge 
nuity  in  making  it  cosy  and  comfortable.  Thus  it  was  when 
we  were  ordered  from  Miner's  Hill,  where  we  had  arranged 
matters  quite  to  our  liking.  Perhaps  if  we  had  been 
ordered  to  Paradise,  there  might  have  been  some  regret  in 
leaving  our  home-like  camp  behind. 

Our  "moving,"  for  the  regiment  moved,  bag  and  baggage, 
as  truly  as  the  people  of  New  York  move  on  the  1st  dav  of 


84  HISTORY    OF    THE 

May,  was  a  military  necessity.  We  understood  that  we 
should  be  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Alexandria  to  act  as 
guard  to  the  Convalescent  Camp;  to  remain,  perhaps,  in 
that  monotonous  business  for  the  remainder  of  our  time. 
So  much  do  soldiers  enjoy  a  change,  that  we  are  sure  the 
men  would  have  made  ready  as  cheerfully  for  a  march  to  a 
fight  as  to  engage  in  the  new  duty  which  was  before  them. 
The  men  wondered  that  the  Eleventh  was  ordered  upon 
such  a  duty,  and  finally  guessed  that  the  order  previously 
read  on  dress-parade,  commending  our  camp  as  a  "•  model 
of  cleanliness  and  good  order,"  and  our  general  reputation 
for  good  behavior,  had  much  to  do  with  it.  That  answered 
curiosity,  if  nothing  more. 

SELECTION    OF    A    CAMP. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  the  selection  of  a  camp, 
and,  on  Monday,  the  12th,  our  commander,  the  Chaplain 
and  Quartermaster  proceeded  to  the  vicinity  of  the  Conva 
lescent  Camp,  and  selected,  in  view  of  the  needs  of  the 
regiment,  the  best  location  they  could  find. 

The  next  day,  Lieut.  Burlingame,  by  profession  a  civil 
engineer,  with  a  detail  of  several  men  each,  from  Companies 
E,  D,  B,  and  I,  to  which  were  added  the  Pioneer  Corps, 
went  on  to  the  ground  to  lay  out  and  make  ready  for  the 
camp.  There  were  some  attractions  in  that  service,  and  the 
men  started  off'  in  excellent  humor.  The  Quartermaster's 
teams  transported  the  knapsacks  of  the  men  and  all  the 
necessary  utensils,  tents  and  provisions,  and  they  were  pre 
pared,  as  they  were  not  to  return,  to  spend  the  night  com 
fortably  on  the  new  camp-ground. 

The  pioneers  marched  with  the  teams,  and  were  longer  on 
the  route.  The  work  was  begun  towards  night,  but  soon 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  0 

ceased  as  darkness  drew  on.  They  had  previously  built 
their  camp-fire  and  made  their  coffee,  so  they  pitched  their 
tents,  and  the  Lieutenant  and  his  men  lay  down  together 
and  made  themselves  comfortable  till  morning.  They 
worked  steadily  the  next  day  till  after  the  regiment  arrived, 
which  was  past  one  o'clock.  The  boys  of  the  regiment  fell 
to  with  a  will.  A  tented  city  soon  occupied  the  ground, 
eight  Sibley  tents  to  a  company,  and  the  men  made  them 
selves  as  comfortable  as  possible  for  the  night. 

The  general  impression  then  was,  that  they  would  not 
exchange  for  Miner's  Hill.  The  pleased  and  half-displeased 
with  the  new  location  were  about  equally  divided. 

THK    MAUCH    FROM    MINKK's    HILL. 

Though  but  a  m  irch  of  six  miles,  yet,  with  its  accompani 
ments,  it  was  no  ordinary  march.  "Equipment"  wrote  of 
it :  "  It  was  not  without  regret  that  the  men  trod  our  beauti 
ful  parade-ground  for  the  last  time.  Round  after  round  of 
cheers  were  given  by  the  different  companies  as  they  passed 
their  streets.  .  .  The  boys  were  jolly,  '  anything  for  a 
change,'  said  they,  and  so,  with  a  merry  song,  we  marched 
away." 

It  was  most  noteworthy  that  the  boys  took  with  them 
almost  everything  that  could  be  transported,  an  abundance 
of  government  teams  being  furnished  at  the  instance  of  our 
commander.  ''Even  before  our  departure  the  vandals  had 
begun  their  work.  Representatives  of  high  and  low  degree 
from  several  neighboring  regiments,  came  to  see  what  they 
could  find  to  add  to  their  convenience."  "The  men  of 
other  regiments  swarmed  like  bees,"  says  another,  "around 
our  conveniently  constructed  quarters,  bought  what  they 
could,  that  the  men  could  not  tak*«,  received  thankfully  what 


86  HISTORY    OF    THE 

was  given  them,  appropriated,  as  soon  as  the  feet  of  our 
men  left  the  threshold,  everything  that  was  left ;  tore  the 
quarters  in  pieces  after  the  tents  were  struck,  and  in  a  very 
short  space  of  time  made  our  camp  a  desolation.''  "Some 
4 odd  'trophies,'  "  says  ''Equipment,"  "gathered  at  our 
encampment  were  borne  away.  Upon  the  shoulders  of  one 
sat  a  glossy-coated  mouser ;  here  the  homeliest  of  dogs 
trudged  along  by  a  soldier's  side,  and  a  lame  black  crow 
adorned  the  knapsack  of  another."  They  took  stoves, 
boards,  windows,  kitchen  utensils,  and  many  articles  useful 
for  what  they  called  the  regular  boarders,  and,  though  there 
were  nearly  fifty  teams  for  officers  and  men  (three  being 
allowed  to  the  men  of  each  company) ,  some  of  the  compa 
nies  hired  extra  teams  to  transport  their  boxes,  stuffed  with 
all  sorts  of  soldiers'  "nick-nacks." 

The  march  was  made  in  good  order  and  with  reasonable 
dispatch.  "Sometimes  our  regiment  had  been  made  to 
'  double-quick,'  and  then  to  halt  at  the  pleasure  of  some  ill 
marching  regiment  ahead  of  us ;  but  this  time  we  were 
alone,  and  were  enabled  to  complete  our  journey  with 
unbroken  ranks."  The  column  with  the  baggage  train  was 
nearly  a  mile  long.  "It  was  truly  a  beautiful  sight  as  it 
wound  its  way  through  the  woods  and  across  plains  to  our 
place  of  destination." 

The  regiment  was  not  overmarched.  A  halt  was  made 
for  dinner,  and  a  corps  of  men  went  ahead  to  select  the  best 
route.  We  left  Miner's  Hill  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing  of  January  14th,  and  arrived  at  the  new  camp  about 
half-past  one. 


ELEVENTH    HEGIM KNT. 


87 


PART  II. 
CAMP   METCALF. 

'•CAMP  near  Fort  Richardson,  on  the  road  to  Alexandria," 
and  "  Camp  near  Camp  Convalescent,"  headed  the  letters 
of  the  men,  until  the  camp  was  named.  The  impression 
then  made  upon  the  mind  of  a  northerner  was,  that  no  one 
seemed  able  to  tell  you  of  your  whereabouts  or  how  far  it 
was  to  anywhere,  or  the  names  of  any  places  in  the  vicinity 
smaller  than  large  cities  or  large  rivers.  For  instance,  we 
were  told  that  we  were  at  Frazer's  Farm ;  some  said 
Frazer's  Mills,  and  some,  Green  Valley.  Our  camp  was  in 
a  "beautiful  valley  surrounded  by  hills."  "A  pleasant 
place,  yet  the  dead  and  the  living  are  side  by  side,  for  a 
private  burial  place,  with  an  occasional  monument,  is  just  in 
the  rear  of  the  officers'  tents."  By  another  writer,  "  our 
location  was  a  verv  fine  one,  and  it  was  thought  would  be  a 
healthy  one,  if  comfortable  quarters  were  arranged,  as  the 
men  proposed  to  themselves  on  their  first  arrival."  The 
tents  ranged  nearly  north  and  south.  On  the  west  side  and 
northwest  corner  was  a  large  grove  of  pine  woods.  On  a 
height  behind  us  was  Fort  Richardson  ;  hardly  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  opposite,- was  the  high  land,  known  as  Arlington 
Heights.  In  a  southeast  direction,  looking  out  over  the 
Potomac  and  the  wide  flats  along  its  banks,  was  Fort  Scott. 
On  the  distant  hills,  up  the  valley,  Fort  Albany.  To  the 
southeast,  an  opening  reaches  to  the  Potomac,  while  the 


88  HISTOKY    OF    THE 

valley  stretches  to  the  right  and  includes  Camp  Convalescent. 
Crowning  the  hills  on  the  south,  a  couple  of  miles  or  more 
distant,  was  Fairfax  Seminary,  transformed  into  a  hospital, 
and  to  the  southwest,  Fort  Blenker  was  visible.  Forts 
Lynn,  Barnard,  and  Ward  were  also  in  view. 

This  was  rightly  called  the  Green  Valley,  but  before  we 
could  enjov  the  season  that  would  beautify  the  whole  region 
with  verdure  and  flowers,  we  were  more  than  two  hundred 
miles  farther  to  the  sunny  south. 

Ql'ARTKKS (U'ARD    DITY. 

In  the  Sibley  tents,  then  occupied,  there  was  an  entire 
change  of  messes.  What  a  breaking  of  ties  that  had  been 
formed  during  the  three  months'  previous  service,  what  diffi 
culties  in  the  formation  of  new  messes,  what  queer  and 
amusing  combinations  were  made,  how,  finally,  all  settled 
down  into  a  harmonious  contentment  with  the  new  order  of 
things,  we  leave  to  the  re-creating  memory  of  every  comrade 
in  the  regiment.  Each  mess  was  composed  of  twelve  men, 
more  or  less.  All  slept  upon  the  ground.  Some  laid  down 
boards  and  some  pine  boughs  to  shield  them  from  the  damp 
ness,  or  make  softer  couches.  From  the  first  day  of  our 
arrival  the  weather  was  unfavorable.  The  thermometer  Sat 
urday,  Sunday  and  Monday,  the  17th,  18th,  and  19th,  stood 
at  sixteen,  ten,  and  twelve  degrees,  in  the  order  named,  and 
the  men  were  taxed  to  the  utmost  to  keep  comfortable.  Had 
there  been  no  stoves  there  would  have  been  real  hardship. 

Guard  duty  at  Convalescent  Camp  began  at  once  on 
Thursday,  the  lf>th,  and  the  men  were  on  duty  every  other 
day,  either  at  that  camp,  the  new  barracks,  not  then  finished, 
or  our  own  camp.  The  service  was  a  heavy  one,  and  the 
men  began  to  see  that  there  was  work  to  be  done  more 
wearing  than  going  to  the  front. 


ELEVENTH    UEG1MENT.  8 

Guard  duty  was  specially  trying  on  Tuesday,  the  20th, 
when  the  severest  rain  storm  thus  far  experienced,  began  and 
lasted  for  the  two  succeeding  days.  The  mud  and  water 
beat  anything  we  had  seen  at  the  north.  The  wind  drove 
the  rain  fiercely  upon  the  clothing  of  the  men  and  upon  the 
tents,  but  they  endured  it  with  a  good  deal  of  grit.  The 
floor  of  many  a  tent  on  Tuesday  night  showed  large  pools 
of  water  upon  it,  which  proved  the  utter  worthlessiiess  of 
th3  covering.  Tiv3  next  day,  the  staff  officers  and  surgeons 
came  round,  and,  after  personal  examination,  condemned 
(in  military  style)  forty-nine  of  the  eighty  tents.  This  is 
not  an  overdrawn  picture.  Hundreds  of  letters,  written 
home  at  that  date,  conveyed  much  stronger  impressions  of 
our  evil  condition  than  is  given  here.  One  correspondent  of 
that  date  wrote:  "For  three  days  it  is  difficult  to  say 
whether  we  have  travelled  by  land  or  water." 

Company  B  enjoyed  a  visit  from  Messrs.  Stafford  W. 
Razee,  James  G.  Fales,  Jabez  Wilmarth,  and  Joshua  Clark, 
of  Central  Falls.  They  made  themselves  substantially  wel 
come,  and  Mr.  Razee  provided  for  the  company  a  liberal 
supply  of  stamped  envelopes.  Mr.  Parley  Mathewson,  of 
Providence,  visited  the  regiment  about  the  same  time,  and 
called  upon  a  large  number  of  the  men.  Alexander  Brown, 
of  Company  I,  was  detailed  as  shoe-maker  to  the  regiment, 
which  proved  to  be  as  profitable  to  him  as  ''shoe-maker  to 
Her  Majesty."  The  event  of  the  22d  instant,  was  the 
arrival  of  a  new  colonel,  formerly  Maj.  Horatio  Rogers,  Jr., 
of  the  Third  Regiment. 

COL.    HORATIO    ROGERS    AND    CAMP    METCALF. 

Favorable  reports  of  Cjl.  Rjg3rs  had  preceded  him.  He 
took  command  on  tha  evening  of  the  23d  instant,  in  the  fol- 


HISTORY    OF    Tin: 

lowing  order,  which  was  read  l>y  the  Adjutant  on  dress- 
parade.  It  chanced  to  be  a  fine,  mild  dav,  seemingly  fur 
nished  for  this  occasion  : 

HEADQUARTERS  ELEVENTH  R.  I.  VOLUNTEERS,      j 
CAMP  NEAR  FORT  RICHARDSON,  January  23,  18(53.  \ 

GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  1 : 

COMRADES:  The  Colonel  commanding  comes  to  yon  with  the 
highest  anticipations  for  the  future.  Were  it  not  so,  he  would 
never  have  left  the  brave  veteran  Third  to  link  his  fortunes  with 
yours.  Your  former  Colonel  has  assured  him  that  no  standard  of 
excellence  is  too  high  for  you  to  attain.  Undaunted  courage,  strict 
obedience,  will  make  yon  soldiers;  nothing  else  can  excel  in  these 
qualities,  and  it  will  be  an  honor  for  any  of  you  to  have  belonged 
to  the  Eleventh  Rhode  Island.  Let  us  never  shrink  from  any  duty 
that  God  and  our  country  may  demand  of  us. 

Comrades,  your  Colonel  will  cheerfully  make  any  sacrifice  for 
your  welfare.  May  we  never  be  disappointed  in  each  other.  With 
a  firm  trust  in  God,  let  us  press  boldly  forward  in  this  great  cause, 
and  may  the  only  Giver  of  victory  crown  our  efforts  with  glorious 
success. 

GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  2: 

In  honor  of  th*  first  colonel  of  this  regiment,  this  camp  will 
hereafter  be  known  and  designated  as  Camp  Metcalf. 

**  J.  B.  G.,"  in  connection  with  the  above  orders,  thus 
refers  to  our  previous  commanders:  kkCol.  Metcalf  and 
Lieut.-Col.  Pitman  have  discouraged  profanity,  intemper 
ance  and  Sabbath-breaking,  by  counsel  and  conduct,  and  we 
are  happy  to  know  that  the  same  regard  for  good  morals 
and  a  recognition  of  the  Almighty  are  to  commend  our  new 
commander  to  our  respect  and  admiration." 

A  PLEA  FOR  THE  ELEVENTH  TO  BE  SENT  TO  THE  FRONT. 

Within  a  week  after  taking  command,  Col.  Rogers  made 
an  earnest  effort,  as  appears  from  the  following  letter,  to 


ELEVENTH     HKiJIMKN'T.  91 

have  the    regimen!    removed    from    the    Convalescent    Camp 
and  take  the  field  : 

HEADQUARTERS  ELEVENTH  REGIMENT,  R.  I.  VOLS.,        / 
CAMP  METCALF,  NEAR  CONVALESCENT  CAMP,  Jan.  HO,  18(5.3.  J 

CAPTAIN:— I  respectfully  and  most  earnestly  apply  to  have  my 
regiment  relieved  from  duty  as  guard  of  the  Convalescent  Camp, 
and  that  it  may  be  again  attached  to  Cowden's  brigade.  The  regi 
ment  is  of  fine  material  and  well  officered,  but  having  been  put 
(here)  for  many  months,  it  needs  regular  drill  to  keep  it  from 
demoralizing.  Both  officers  and  men  are  desirous  of  seeing  active 
service,  and  I  certainly  wouldn't  have  resigned  the  position  of 
major  in  the  Third  Rhode  Island,  a  three  years'  regiment,  now  in 
South  Carolina,  with  the  lieutenant-colonelcy  vacant,  for  the  col 
onelcy  of  this,  had  it  not  been  for  the  fond  hope  and  expectation 
that  we  should  be  actively  employed  here,  which  hope  and  expec 
tation  are  equally  entertained  by  his  Excellency  Gov.  Sprague, 
who,  by  them  induced  me  to  take  this,  a  nine  months',  regiment. 

Could  we  be  sent  back  to  Gen.  Cowden's  brigade,  I  could  have 
the  opportunity  to  drill  the  regiment  some,  which  the  nature  and 
extent  of  this  duty  now  utterly  forbids,  half  the  regiment  being  on 
guard  duty  daily.  When  the  roads  were  opened  I  should  hope  to 
be  ordered  to  the  front.  While,  of  course,  rendering  that  prompt 
and  cheerful  obedience  to  all  orders  in  the  performance  of  any  duty 
entrusted  to  me,  as  becomes  a  soldier,  I  shall  still  ardently  long  for 
leave  to  be  placed  where  I  can  fit  my  regiment  for  the  field  with 
the  prospect  of  taking  it. 

Hoping  the  General  will  excuse  my  troubling  him,  I  trust  he  will 
give  this  communication  a  favorable  consideration,  and  so,  do  all  in 
his  power  to  assist  me  in  again  meeting  the  enemies  of  our  country 
in  a  fight;  an  opportunity  which  I  fear  too  many  do  not  desire. 
I  am,  Captain, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

H.  ROGERS,  JR.,  Col.  Eleventh  R.  I.  Vols. 

To  Capt.  CARROLL  H.  POTTER,   A.   A.   Adjutant-General,   Head 
quarters  Defences  of  Washington. 

The  above  letter  was  forwarded  to  Brig. -Gen.  John  P. 
Slough,  Military  Governor  of  Alexandria,  and  by  him 
referred  to  Maj.-Gen.  Heintzleman  in  command  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE 

defences  of  Washington,    who   returned    it   to   Gen.    Slough 
with  this  statement : 

The  number  at  the  Convalescent  Camp  will  be  reduced  soon,  and 
the  regiment  relieved  as  soon  as  possible. 

By  command  of 

Maj.  Gen.  HEIXTZLEMAN. 
CARROLL  H.  POTTER,  A.  A.  G. 

This  reply  was  returned  to  Col.  Rogers  by  R.  C.  Gale, 
A.  A.  General  at  Alexandria. 

MORE    BAD    WEATHER IMPROVED    QUARTERS. 

Tuesday,  the  27th,  brought  a  steady  rain,  day  and  night. 
The  storm  continued  into  Wednesday,  turned  to  hail,  and 
then  snow,  of  which  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  fell  before  the 
next  morning,  and,  in  spite  of  melting,  left  eight  or  more 
inches  on  the  ground.  The  roads  were  in  a  dreadful  condi 
tion.  Government  and  all  other  teams  got  stuck  without 
warning  and  almost  without  redemption.  On  the  road  to 
Washington,  up  to  the  hub  was  called  an  easy  depth,  and 
the  boys  told  big  stories  of  the  depths  they  sounded  as  they 
marched  to  their  posts  at  Camp  Convalescent.  For  all  this, 
we  had  not  then  sounded  the  depths  of  the  "sacred  soil." 
The  discomfort  of  the  men  was  very  great,  arid  it  was 
endured  far  better  than  could  have  been  supposed,  and  the 
health  of  the  regiment  was  not  seriously  affected. 

It  was  darkest  before  the  dawn.  The  tide  turned  ;  stock 
ades  rose  in  every  part  of  the  camp.  Bunks  for  the  men  to 
sleep  in  were  built  in  the  outer  circle  of  the  tents  ;  the  stove 
occupied  the  center,  and  the  merry  songs  of  the  men  pro 
claimed  that  they  had  begun  to  "live."  Uncle  Sam  fur 
nished  bed-sacks  and  straw  to  fill  them,  for  the  regiment,  and 
the  men  were  not  slow  to  appreciate  it. 


ELEVEXTH    REGIMENT.  93 

The  expense  of  stockading  the  tents  and  erecting  bunks 
came  out  of  the  pockets  of  the  men  and  amounted  to  about 
one  hundred  dollars  for  each  company. 

PAY    DAY    AND    CHANGES. 

( hie  of  the  most  interesting  items  to  be  noted  at  that  sea 
son  was,  not  the  mustering  for  pay,  which  the  boys  had  come 
to  consider  as  an  empty  farce,  but  the  actual  signing  of  the 
pay-roll,  and  the  receipt  of  some  of  the  money  due  the  regi 
ment  from  the  government.  Each  man  was  paid  for  one 
month's  services  to  November  1st,  and  from  the  day  of  his 
enlistment  to  the  1st  of  October.  The  men  were  glad  to 
get  a  part,  but  rumor  then  said  that  the  reason  for  not 
receiving  all,  was  the  failure  to  get  the  regimental  rolls  to 
Washington  at  the  specified  time.  If  this  was  so,  the  depart 
ment  at  Washington  was  free  from  blame. 

Mr.  Munroe,  Allotment  Commissioner,  came  round  the 
next  day,  and  a  large  number  of  the  men  sent  home  what 
they  could  spare  from  the  small  amount  received,  some 
seventeen  or  eighteen  dollars  to  each  private.  The  men  also 
learned  how  large  bills  the  sutler  had  against  them. 

Quite  an  unexpected  change  was  made  on  the  3d  of 
February.  Companies  C  and  K,  being  detailed  to  guard  the 
Distributing  Camp,  two  miles  nearer  Alexandria,  broke  up 
house-keeping  that  morning,  on  one  of  those  sudden  orders 
so  peculiarly  military,  struck  their  tents,  pulled  down  their 
stockades,  packed  their  baggage,  took  all  the  lumber  they 
could  carry,  and,  on  their  arrival,  made  themselves  as  com 
fortable  as  possible. 

The  Distributing  Camp  was  often  called  the  ''Stragglers' 
Camp,"  and  comprised,  then,  several  thousand  soldiers  from 
Camp  Convalescent,  that  were  in  condition  to  go  to  their 


94  H1STOKY    OF    THE 

regiments,  and  also  those  who  had  strayed  away  from  their 
regiments,  or  had  been  left  behind  on  a  march.  This  dis 
memberment  of  the  Eleventh  was  not  pleasing  to  the  men'; 
the  family  would  much  rather  have  kept  together.  A  few 
days  previous  to  this,  Companies  B  and  F,  who  were  fre 
quently  thus  favored,  received  a  flying  visit  from  Col.  Jacob 
Dunnell  and  C.  B.  Farnsworth,  of  Pawtucket,  and  John 
Duimell,  Esq.,  of  New  York.  Col.  Dunnell  presented  fiftv 
dollars  to  Company  F,  to  aid  them  in  stockading  their  quarters. 
The  last  day  of  January  brought  with  it  a  regimental 
inspection  bv  Col.  Rogers. 

COLD    WEATHER HOME    REMEMBRANCES MUSIC. 

The  disagreeable  and  dirty  weather  made  an  unfavorable 
impression,  respecting  our  camp,  upon  officers,  men  and 
visitors,  but  a  drier  spell  came  in  February,  with  very  cold 
nights  and  mornings  and  the  chilliest  of  snowy  atmospheres, 
one-third  of  the  time,  for  variety.  The  only  thermometer 
we  had  seen  was  broken,  and  the  degree  of  cold  could  not 
be  recorded,  but  on  one  of  the  mornings  referred  to,  one  of 
the  stalwart  men  of  Company  I  froze  his  fingers  while  on 
his  way  to  the  spring  and  back  for  water.  It  seemed  the 
coldest  morning  we  had  known  in  Virginia. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  fine  views  that 
could  be  had  from  the  many  heights  around  Camp  Metcalf ; 
we  return  to  this  subject  again  to  couple  it  with  another. 
The  view  of  Washington  and  the  Potomac  from  some  of 
these  points  reminded  us  strongly  of  Providence.  The 
Navy  Yard  answered  to  Fox  Point ;  the  east  branch  of  the 
Potomac  to  the  Seekonk  river  ;  the  bridge,  some  distance  up, 
to  the  Red  bridge,  and  this  was  so  striking,  that  the  moment 
our  bovs  obtained  their  first  view  from  Fort  Scott,  on  the 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 

morning  of  their  arrival  at  our  new  camp,  a  large  number 
being  present,  they  immediately  began  to  point  out  the 
localities  which  reminded  them  so  strongly  of  home. 

At  this  camp  our  music  took  on  some  variety.  The 
buglers,  who  were  appointed  when  the  order  came  for  the 
regiment  to  drill  as  skirmishers,  took  part  on  several  occa 
sions  with  pleasing  effect  on  dress-parade.  We  still  enjoyed 
our  drum  band  with  Mr.  Dunbar  as  leader,  and  fife-major 
Ornam  L.  Patt,  of  Central  Falls,  well  known  among  the 
musicians  of  Providence,  who  was  the  instructor  of  the 
band  from  the  beginning.  The  leader  of  the  buglers  was 
Mr.  Robert  Seiler,  a  gentleman  who  served  his  time  in  the 
military  service  of  Prussia,  and  thrice  enlisted  in  the  service 
of  our  own  country.  But  there  was  a  desire  for  something 
still  better,  and  it  was  decided  to  organize  a  brass  band. 
Col.  Rogers  headed  the  subscription  list,  followed  by  the 
field  and  line  officers,  and  a  long  list  of  men  ;  in  two  weeks 
the  amount  required,  nearly  four  hundred  dollars,  was 
obtained,  and  early  in  February  the  band  began  their 
practice. 

On  the  Sabbath,  the  25th  of  January,  the  regimental 
religious  services  were  held  in  the  open  air,  for  those  who 
were  not  on  guard,  and  on  the  following  Sunday,  the 
weather  being  stormy,  services  were  held  by  invitation  in 
the  Colonel's  mess  tent.  The  Chaplain's  discourse  was 
from  the  words  :  "Fear  not  them  that  kill  the  body,  and 
after  that  have  110  more  that  they  can  do,"  etc.  The  large 
tent  was  filled.  Half  a  dozen  commissioned  officers,  includ 
ing  the  Colonel,  were  present,  and  when  the  sermon  was 
over,  by  invitation  of  the  Chaplain,  the  great  majority 
remained  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  Col.  Rogers 
beinjj  of  the  number. 


9(>  HISTORY    OF    THE 

OUR  SECOND  COLONEL'S  FAREWELL. 

After  a  brief  stay  he  was  taken  from  us.  '4  A.  D.  N.," 
in  his  letter  inquires,  "Do  we  get  all  the  good  ones  first? 
Somebody  plays  the  Dickens  with  our  colonels.  He  had 
already  made  a  favorable  impression  ;  the  men  had  just 
begun  to  appreciate  him.  His  farewell  address  to  the  regi 
ment  at  dress-parade,  Wednesday,  February  4th,  was  excel 
lent.  He  informed  us  that  he  had  received  a  commission  to 
command  the  Second  regiment,  and  plainly  intimated  that 
because  it  was  at  the  front,  had  been  longest  in  the  service, 
ani  would  likely  see  the  most  active  service,  he  thought  it 
his  duty  to  accept  the  position  as  its  colonel.  If  he  had 
found  fault  needlessly,  he  hoped  that  it  might  be  overlooked  ; 
if  for  good  cause,  he  trusted  that  the  regiment  would  profit 
by  it.  He  expressed  a  deep  interest  in  the  Eleventh,  and, 
from  his  own  observation,  spoke  in  favorable  terms  of  its 
good  character.  He  concluded  with  the  remark,  that  his 
prayer  would  ever  be  that  the  kind  Father  and  Ruler  of  us 
all  would  continue  to  watch  over  and  bless  the  Rhode  Island 
Eleventh." 

IMPROVEMENTS VISITORS — <  )l  R    HOSPITAL (  HANGES. 

A  few  days  of  sunshine  in  the  middle  of  February  dimin 
ished  the  mud  in  a  degree.  Our  streets,  instead  of  appear 
ing  like  so  many  elongated  dough  heaps,  began  to  take  on 
shape  and  symmetry.  Corduroy  sidewalks  and  graded 
streets  took  the  place  of  the  mud-and-water  style  of  a  few 
days  previous,  and  the  careful  police  regulations  made  the 
location  comparatively  healthy.  Corduroy  roads  and  bridges 
over  brooks,  on  the  route  of  the  regiment  to  the  Convales 
cent  Camp,  and  in  various  other  localities  where  needed. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  1)7 

were  rapidly  constructed.  The  majority  of  the  tents  were 
stockaded  or  boarded  to  the  height  of  four  or  five  feet, 
and  made  quite  comfortable.  It  was  this  constant  effort 
at  cleanliness  and  comfort  which  made  the  Eleventh  unusally 
healthy  ;  while,  under  other  circumstances  in  such  a  location, 
a  large  amount  of  sickness  must  have  prevailed. 

We  were  favored  in  this  month  by  visits  from  Abner  Gay, 
Esq.,  of  Providence,  who  came  to  visit  his  son,  and  was 
warmly  welcomed  by  many  Providence  friends,  and  by  Col. 
William  Yiall,  wife  and  daughter,  who  came  to  see  us  on 
the  10th  instant,  and  witnessed  our  first  battalion  drill  after 
we  left  Miner's  Hill.  Col.  Viall  gave  us  a  pretty  thorough 
inspection,  and  his  visit  to  us  was  very  welcome.  We  need 
not  disguise  the  fact  that  visits  from  Providence  ladies,  who 
took  an  interest  in  the  regiment,  were  rejoiced  in  by  the 
soldiers,  especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that  they  had 
been  shut  out  for  months  from  the  refining  influences  of 
home  and  the  genial  influences  of  female  society.  Provi 
dence  ladies  were  always  heartily  welcomed  by  Rhode 
Island  boys. 

At  this  time  none  were  dangerously  sick.  The  number 
in  the  hospitals  was  not  above  the  average  when  we  were 
upon  Miner's  Hill,  though  it  is  true,  that  for  a  few  days  at 
a  time,  a  larger  number  were  excused  by  the  Surgeon  from 
duty.  An  old-fashioned  house,  just  to  the  northeast  of  our 
encampment,  was  appropriated  for  a  hospital,  and  being  well 
warmed  and  properly  ventilated,  the  men  who  received 
attendance  there  were  quite  as  comfortable  as  at  home. 
Every  attention  was  paid  to  the  patients  that  they  could 
receive,  in  the  absence  of  wives  and  mothers  and  sisters. 
The  number  in  hospital  in  the  middle  of  February,  was 
thirty-one.  Our  hospital  arrangements  were  not  surpassed 
by  those  of  any  regiment  in  the  department. 


98  HISTORY    OF    THE 

Our  country's  soldiers  were  constantly  receiving  assistance 
from  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission.  They 
bestowed  promptly  and  bountifully  anything  they  had  in 
the  way  of  comforts  and  medicines  and  delicacies,  without 
the  intervention  of  red  tape,  that  would  benefit  the  sick 
soldier,  and  such  was  the  testimony  of  the  surgeons  and 
patients  in  our  own  hospital.  The  record  of  their  work  has 
passed  into  history,  and  its  example  has  been  emulated  in 
other  countries.  A  more  disinterested  and  devoted  body  of 
men  were  rarely  ever  associated  for  a  benevolent  purpose. 
A  similar  testimony  should  be  given  in  behalf  of  our  own 
State  Sanitary  Commission.  At  that  time,  William  E. 
Hamlin,  Esq.,  of  Providence,  presented  to  Company  I  a 
ten  dollar  case  of  homoeopathic  medicines.  We  learned  on 
the  morning  of  the  13th  of  February,  that  the  other  regi 
ments  of  Cowden's  brigade  were  encamped  on  the  plain 
above  Fort  Richardson. 

Time  and  the  faithful  performance  of  duty  brought  further 
changes  in  the  officers  of  the  regiment.  Second-Lieut. 
Burlingamc,  of  Company  I,  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant, 
and  assigned  to  Company  II.  Orderly  E.  K.  Thompson,  of 
Company  H,  was  promoted  to  be  second  lieutenant  of  Com 
pany  H.  He  was  much  beloved  and  esteemed  by  the 
officers  and  men  of  his  company,  and  was  thoroughly 
familiar  with  his  duties  as  an  officer.  Orderly  N.  K.  Rob 
inson,  of  Company  E,  was  promoted  to  second  lieutenant  of 
Company  E. 

As  soon  as  the  boys  of  Company  H  learned  of  the  good 
fortune  of  of  their  Orderly,  a  subscription  paper  was  started, 
headed  by  Capt.  Joel  Metcalf,  with  a  V,  and  in  less  than 
half  an  hour  over  fifty  dollars  were  collected  for  a  sword, 
sash,  belt  and  shoulder  straps.  They  were  presented  to  him 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  14th  instant,  as  a  tribute  of  their 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 

high  appreciation  of  him  as  an  officer,  and  their  attachment 
to  him  as  a  man.  The  presentation  was  made  by  Sergt. 
Charles  H.  Bartlett,  who  addressed  the  new  officer  appro 
priately  in  behalf  of  the  company.  Lieut.  Thompson, 
wholly  surprised,  with  difficulty  found  words  to  utter  a 
fitting  response.  The  outfit  was  neat  and  beautiful. 

CAMP    CONVALESCENT. 

To  give  an  adequate  idea  of  the  service  that  the  Eleventh 
regiment  rendered  during  three  months  of  its  term,  it  is 
important  that  the  Convalescent  Camp  should  be  fully 
described.  ;'A.  D.  N.,"  speaking  of  it  at  the  time  we 
arrived  there,  writes  : 

"  The  present  camp  is  in  a  filthy  condition,  and  a  shame  to  those 
who  have  charge  of  it.  The  camp  was  originally  located  about  two 
miles  nearer  Alexandria,  in  the  region  of  what  was  called  the  Dis 
tributing  Camp.  When  we  took  possession  of  Camp  Metcalf  they 
were  located  in  the  Green  Valley.  What  was  filthy  before  we  went 
there,  by  the  middle  of  February  had  become  clean,  and  a  very 
different  affair  from  what  it  was  when  the  government  established 
it.  It  was  under  entirely  different  regulation.  It  grew  rapidly 
from  a  small  number  to  a  moderate  sized  army,  and  what  had 
been  confusion  soon  became  order  and  system." 

Our  first  view  of  this  camp  was  street  upon  street  of  tents 
covering  many  acres,  sufficient  to  accommodate  nearly  ten 
thousand  soldiers,  while  at  the  western  end  the  frames  of 
barracks  for  five  thousand  men  were  just  rising.  As  fast  as 
these  were  completed,  the  dwellers  in  tents  removed  to  the 
more  comfortable  and  substantial  structures,  until  every  tent 
was  vacated,  the  barracks  filled,  and  the  remainder  sent  to 
their  regiments  or  discharged  from  service. 

The  buildings  going  up  when  we  arrived  there,  were  com 
pleted  in  a  little  more  than  a  month.  They  were  situated 


100  HISTORY    OF    THE 

on  a  pleasant  hillside  and  surrounded  by  pine  woods.  There 
were  two  rows  of  buildings,  twenty  in  each  row,  and  about 
two  hundred  feet  apart,  ranged  north  and  south,  with  ten 
more  barracks  across  the  northern  end.  The  whole  was 
situated  on  the  road  to  Alexandria,  and  extended  back  several 
hundred  feet.  From  the  upper  end  could  be  had  a  fine  view 
of  the  Potomac  and  the  surrounding  country.  The  barracks 
were  each  about  one  hundred  feet  long,  provided  with  bunks, 
with  bed  sacks  and  blankets  for  one  hundred  men.  The 
woods  surrounding  the  camp  were  trimmed  up  high  and  all 
the  under-brush  was  cut  away. 

Next  to  the  barracks,  and  just  east  of  them,  were  the  cook 
and  eating-houses,  which  were  very  large,  and,  in  addition  to 
the  cooking  apparatus,  provided  with  tables  for  over  three 
thousand  men  to  eat  at  one  time.  Wells  were  dug  and  an 
abundance  of  water  conducted  into  all  the  buildings  ;  other 
conveniences  were  added,  so  that  the  camp  could  be  kept  in 
a  cleanly  state.  Headquarters  were  in  the  centre,  fronting 
the  road,  and  a  line  of  officers'  quarters  extended  back 
through  the  centre  of  the  cam]).  On  the  20th  of  February, 
the  barracks  were  full,  and  contained  a  little  more  than  five 
thousand  men.  To  what  we  have  already  described,  add 
four  large  hospitals  with  cook-houses  attached  to  them. 

The  arrangements  for  cooking  for  this  good-sized  village, 
were  on  a  very  large  and  complete  scale,  and  the  food  was 
well  and  thoroughly  cooked. 

To  give  an  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  business,  in  one 
of  the  ranges  were  eight  square  kettles  for  coffee,  holding 
fifty  gallons  each ;  six  boilers  for  meat,  which  held  forty 
gallons  each,  and  eight  large  ovens  for  roasting.  Water 
pipes  conveyed  water  to  these  establishments,  and  an  exten 
sive  bakery  furnished  excellent  bread. 

It  was  frequently  stated  that  there  were  at  one  time  from 


ELEVKXTII    REGIMENT.  101 

fifteen  thousand  to  seventeen  thousand  men  in  the  Convales 
cent  Camp,  but  it  is  now  clear  that  this  number  probably 
Included  all  the  men  in  the  Distribution  Camp  as  well.  On 
our  arrival  there,  there  were,  perhaps,  nine  thousand  men. 
On  the  10th  of  February,  there  were,  including  commis 
sioned  officers,  a  few  more  than  seven  thousand.  Under  a 
provision  of  Congress,  large  numbers  were  daily  discharged 
as  unfit  for  service,  and  this  number,  nearly  three  hundred, 
was  not  made  good  by  the  daily  arrivals. 

The  camp  was  under  the  command  of  Lieut. -Col. 
McKelvy,  an  officer  in  the  regular  army.  There  were  three 
divisions,  of  New  England,  Middle  and  Western  troops.  In 
the  middle  of  February,  sixteen  hundred  or  eighteen  hun 
dred  Pennsylvania  troops  remained  in  Sibley  tents.  The 
Loudon  and  Hampshire  Railroad,  with  which  it  was  con 
nected  by  a  branch  road,  constructed  by  the  government, 
was  but  half  a  mile  from  this  camp. 

The  convalescents  were  greatly  demoralized.  The  major 
ity  had  seen  terrible  service  with  McClellan  on  the  Peninsula, 
and  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run,  under  Pope,  and  in 
his  other  battles  and  retreats,  and  a  stranger  going  among 
them  could  be  entertained  for  days  by  the  wonderful  accounts 
of  the  scenes  through  which  they  had  passed.  Almost  every 
State  then  in  the  Union  was  represented  there.  Writes 
"A.  D.  N."  :  "You  could  there  behold  some  of  the  most 
deplorable  events  of  the  war ;  young  men,  middle-aged  and 
old  men  were  congregated  there,  suffering  from  disease  or 
recovering  from  wounds  received  in  battle,  hoping  in  some 
way  to  be  discharged  from  further  service.  Others,  able- 
bodied,  waiting  and  contriving  how  to  skedaddle.  It  was  for 
the  benefit  of  this  latter  class  that  our  regiment  was  there." 

The  convalescent  boys  did  not  relish  the  arrival  of  the 
Eleventh,  blest  with  health,  large  in  numbers,  and  strong 


102  HISTORY    OF    THE 

in  determination  to  do  an  honest  and  strict  guard  duty,  and 
they  vented  their  feelings  in  many  silly  ways  and  foolish 
speeches.  They  even  thought  of  a  rebellion  on  their  own 
hook,  on  account  of  the  stringency  of  the  guard  placed  over 
them,  and  "A.  I).  N."  remarks,  in  reference  to  this: 
"Perhaps  we  may  as  well  fight  here  as  farther  down  in 
Dixie." 

On  one  occasion  there  occurred  a  mutiny  in  a  stone  build 
ing,  two  stories  high  ;  the  upper  story  being  reached  through 
an  opening  in  the  floor  by  a  ladder.  At  this  opening  stood 
the  infuriated  men  with  axes,  shovels  and  whatever  they 
could  lay  hold  of,  and  threatened  to  kill  the  first  man  that 
ascended.  Lieut.  Stone,  of  Company  E,  officer  of  the 
guard  that  day,  was  apprised  of  the  tumult  and  repaired  at 
once  to  the  scene.  He  ascended  the  ladder,  pistol  in  hand, 
threatening  to  shoot  the  first  man  that  offered  resistance. 
They  were  impressed  that  the  lieutenant  was  in  earnest,  and 
fell  back,  and  one  by  one  were  sent  below  and  taken  care  of. 
At  a  court  martial  held  soon  after,  two  of  these  men  were 
adjudged  guilty  of  an  assault  and  insubordination,  and  sent 
to  the  Rip  Raps  for  two  years. 

This  was  not  much  to  be  wondered  at.  Patriotism  does 
not  thrive  on  "  wounds  and  bruises  and  putrefying  sores," 
on  bad  rations  or  filthy  quarters,  and  the  government  chose 
the  true  remedy  in  providing  roomy  and  healthy  quarters, 
excellent  food,  the  care  that  they  needed  and  deserved,  and 
hospital  arrangements  of  the  best  kind.  In  this  large  num 
ber  of  men  there  were  very  many  who  were  not  grumblers, 
and  who,  notwithstanding  all  the  hardships  they  had  endured, 
were  ready  to  do  battle  again  for  the  dear  old  flag. 

Days  of  sunshine  sometimes  came  to  these  men,  individu 
ally  and  collectively.  "The  Pennsylvania  soldiers  in  this 
camp,  on  Saturday,  February  14th,  were  treated  to  a  hand- 


ELEVENTH    IJEGIMEXT.  103 

si MII  •  collation,  furnished  by  the;  liberality  of  the;  citizens  of 
Goshen  and  Williston  townships,  of  Chester  county  of  their 
own  State.  The  ladies  of  these  two  towns  prepared  eleven 
thousand  pounds  of  provisions,  consisting  of  hams,  turkeys, 
chickens,  roast  pig,  apples,  pies,  cakes,  etc.  The  feast  was 
none  the  less  gratefully  received  for  being  a  surprise.  Ad 
dresses  were  made  by  two  Baptist  clergymen  who  were 
present,  and  the  soldiers  were  well  pleased  with  the  enter 
tainment."  This  account  is  clipped  from  the  letters  of 
"A.  D.  N." 

When,  therefore,  their  quarters  had  been  made  as  com 
fortable  as  soldiers'  quarters  could  be,  and  when  access  to 
them  by  their  friends  or  any  interested  in  their  welfare  was 
easy,  quite  a  deep  religious  interest  pervaded  the  camp,  and 
prayer-meetings  were  daily  held  in  the  chapel  tent. 

THE    LOST    SHEEP CAMP    DISTRIBUTION     AND     OTHER    CAMPS. 

The  writer  and  a  friend  obtained  a  pass  to  visit  Alexan 
dria.  On  their  way,  they  visited  Companies  K  and  C,  the 
lost  sheep  of  our  regimental  fold,  and  were  pleased  to  find 
them  in  the  belief  that  they  had  found  better  pasture  than 
in  their  former  camp.  Companies  C  and  K  were  detailed 
as  an  interior  guard  to  the  Distributing  Camp,  and,  like  the 
portion  of  the  regiment  at  Camp  Metcalf,  were  located  in  a 
position  of  their  own  choosing,  near  their  field  of  duty.  It 
was  about  two  miles  from  Camp  Metcalf,  on  the  direct  road 
to  Alexandria,  and  but  a  short  distance  from  the  residence 
of  a  Mrs.  Hall,  a  large  octagonal-shaped  building,  which 
could  not  escape  notice. 


104  HISTORY    OF    THE 

REV.    DR.    CHARLES    HALL*S    HOUSE. 

tw  While  Companies  C  and  K  were  stationed  at  the  Distri 
bution  Camp,  the  officers  and  some  of  the  men  were  much 
interested  in  learning  the  history  of  this  octagonal  house, 
used  by  Capt.  Upham,  who  was  in  command  of  the  camp, 
as  his  headquarters.  Although  the  house  was  stripped  of 
nearly  all  its  furniture,  yet  enough  remained  to  show  that  it 
had  been  occupied  by  a  family  of  culture  and  literary  taste. 
We  soon  learned  that  the  place  had  been  the  residence  of 
Rev.  Charles  Hall,  formerly  Secretary  of  the  American  Home 
Mission  Society,  in  New  York. 

"Dr.  Hall's  health  being  seriously  impaired,  he  had  built 
a  charming  home  on  the  road  from  Leesburg  to  Alexandria, 
near  the  famous  Fairfax  Theological  Seminary,  and  thither 
transported  his  family  ;  away  from  the  bustle  and  turmoil  of 
the  metropolitan  city.  But  here  this  beautiful  family  were 
doomed  to  bitter  sorrow  and  disappointment.  Calamity 
succeeded  calamity.  A  promising  son,  educated,  talented, 
even  brilliant,  was  called  from  them  by  death.  Another 
son,  the  idol  of  the  family,  just  budding  into  manhood,  was 
drowned  while  bathing.  The  father  sickened  and  died. 
The  widow  and  daughters  were  exerting  all  their  powers  to 
keep  their  beautiful  home,  when  the  war  broke  out,  and 
this  section  was  first  in  possession  of  one  party  and  then  of 
the  other. 

"  Being  of  northern  origin,  they  were  suspected  by  the 
Confederates,  and,  when  they  were  in  possession,  subjected 
to  many  annoyances.  Finally  they  were  obliged  to  go 
north,  and  their  house  was  ransacked,  their  property  pillaged 
and  much  of  it  destroyed.  Their  beautiful  home  was  ter 
ribly  marred  by  war,  and  at  a  date  subsequent  to  the  time 
the  Eleventh  were  there,  tlje  house  was  burned,  and  they 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  105 

had  lost  all.  During  our  stay  there,  the  writer  made  the 
acquaintance  of  Mrs.  Hall,  a  woman  of  matronly  dignity, 
cultivated  and  refined.  She  had  gone  to  her  old  home,  only  to 
find  it  more  a  heap  of  ruins  than  at  her  last  former  visit.  She 
stopped  at  the  house  of  the  nearest  neighbor,  one  Mr.  Camp, 
who  appeared  to  be  a  Union  man.  There  Mrs.  Hall  was 
packing  the  remnants  of  her  furniture,  and  what  there  was 
left  of  her  husband's  formerly  valuable  library,  to  remove 
them  to  the  north.  I  have  now  before  me  a  little  book,  a  token 
received  from  her  hand,  entitled  '  The  Daily  Verse  Expositor 
for  the  Acts.'  It  was  written  by  her  lamented  husband,  and 
published  in  New  York,  1832.  Since  the  war,  Mrs.  Hall 
was  for  some  years  a  resident  of  Providence,  one  of  her 
daughters  having  married  a  prominent  clergyman  of  this 
city.  Another  daughter,  a  young  lady  of  excellent  educa 
tion,  and  much  refinement,  was  a  successful  teacher,  widely 
known,  and  highly  respected  by  a  large  circle  of  devoted 
friends." 

As  we  approached  the  city  our  attention  was  attracted  by 
a  very  long  train  of  baggage  wagons,  some  staff  officers 
and  a  few  straggling  soldiers.  We  larned  that  it  was  a  rem 
nant  of  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  on  their  way  to  a  new 
encampment  on  Miner's  Hill.  This  division  originally  con 
sisted  of  thirteen  thousand  men.  Their  ranks  had  been  reduced 
to  four  thousand,  and  but  twenty-five  hundred  were  fit  for 
duty.  Who  could  say  that  they  should  not  have  time  to 
rest  and  recruit? 

On  our  return  to  camp,  we  called  at  the  officers'  quarters 
of  Company  K.  Lieut.  Thurber  was  not  present,  but  Capt. 
Mowry  and  Lieut.  Edwards  welcomed  us  heartily,  enter 
tained  us  for  several  hours  in  true  soldier-like  style,  and 
gave  us  all  the  information  we  desired. 

This    camp,    which    was    under   the    command    of  Capt. 


106  HISTOKY    OF    THE 

Parkhurst,  of  Company  C,  was  situated  west  of  the  road 
to  Alexandria,  in  a  position  Similar  to  our  old  one  on 
Miner's  Hill.  On  each  side  was  a  deep  ravine,  and  healthy 
breezes  had  free  course  over  and  around  the  ridge,  but  the 
scenery  was  not  so  inviting.  On  the  Friday  after  their 
arrival  in  their  new  camp,  a  heavy  rain  deluged  the  floors  of 
their  tents,  especially  in  Company  C,  and  in  one  instance,  it 
was  said,  to  the  depth  of  ten  inches  ;  but  they  soon  had 
well  stockaded  quarters,  comfortable  bunks,  and  everything 
as  agreeable  as  in  the  other  companies.  For  want  of  a 
better  name  we  christened  that  camp,  Camp  Metcalf,  Jr. 

The  government  sent  to  this  camp  all  stragglers  all 
detailed  privates,  all  the  men  fit  for  duty  at  Camp  Convales 
cent,  and  thence  they  were  sent  in  large  squads  to  their 
respective  regiments.  There  were  from  five  to  eight  thou 
sand  men  then  in  the  camp.  The  post  was  under  the  com 
mand  of  Capt. *  Upham.  Contiguous  to  this  camp  was  a 
camp  of  recruits,  also  under  the  commandant  of  that  post. 

Still  nearer  Alexandria,  and  distinct  from  the  Distribution 
Camp,  was  the  camp  of  paroled  prisoners,  containing  not 
more  than  five  or  six  hundred  men  ;  and  we  learned  that 
somewhere  between  Camp  Metcalf  and  Fairfax  Seminary, 
was  a  convalescent  horse  camp,  where  horses  that  had  been 
under  medical  treatment  and  were  on  the  road  to  sound 
health,  were  treated  to  further  rest  and  a  fat  pasture. 

AMUSING    SCENE PRIZES DUTIES. 

Almost  all  through  February  pleasant  days  were  curios 
ities.  In  Company  I  the  severe  snow  storm  of  the  22d 
was  followed  by  a  little  fun.  A  "gay"  fellow  in  one  of 
the  messes,  challenged  Rev.  Dr.  Hawkes  (so  dubbed  by  his 
friends)  to  a  duel  with  snowballs.  It  was  accepted,  and 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  107 

at  it  they  went,  and  soon  the  whole  company  turned  out  to 
witness  the  scene.  Unluckily  the  foot  of  the  young  soldier- 
boy  slipped,  then  came  a  tumble  and  a  rolling  over,  the 
reverend  gentleman  washed  the  youth's  face  thoroughly  in 
the  snow,  and  the  brave  boy  acknowledged  himself  con 
quered.  Towards  night  the  boys  in  the  lower  tents  had  a 
battle  with  those  in  the  upper,  who  were  led  by  the  commis 
sioned  officers.  The  contest  was  long  and  desperate,  many 
a  man  bit  the  snow,  and  in  the  end  a  certain  tall  Captain 
looked  as  much  like  a  snow  man  as  anything  else.  Both 
parties  claimed  the  victory.  Darkness  put  an  end  to  the 
contest,  and  the  combatants  slept  on  their  arms. 

Most  of  the  tents  in  the  latter  part  of  February  were 
turned  into  armories.  The  boys  began  polishing  the  barrels 
of  their  Enfield  rifles,  which  were  bronzed.  Prizes  were 
offered  in  some  of  the  companies  to  the  man  wrho  should 
produce  the  best  looking  musket.  The  contest  was  a  sharp 
one,  the  results  brilliant ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  the 
muskets  of  the  whole  regiment  became  of  the  glittering, 
instead  of  the  sombre  sort.  It  was  claimed  that  the  bright 

O 

musket  made  a  better  mark  for  the  enemy,  but  the  govern 
ment  has  not  ceased  to  make  the  Springfield  musket  with  a 
polished  barrel,  and  doubtless  their  fine  appearance  is  a  stim 
ulus  to  the  men  to  keep  their  arms  in  excellent  condition. 
A  prize  was  also  offered  for  the  best  shot,  and  target 
practice,  by  the  various  companies,  went  on  for  some  time. 
The  award  was  to  have  been  made  on  the  21st,  but  was 
delayed  that  Companies  C  and  K  might  contest  for  it,  and 
when,  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  it  was  decided,  it  was 
won  by  Corporal  David  L.  Fales,  of  Company  B.  Five 
men  put  eleven  out  of  fifteen  shots  into  the  target.  Com 
pany  H  did  the  next  best  shooting. 


108  HISTORY    OF    THE 

TRADES    AND    GAMES. 

The  regiment  was  composed  of  men  of  many  and  various 
professions,  trades  and  occupations,  and  at  Camp  Metcalf  a 
number  of  men  regularly  wrought  at  their  business.  The 
shoe-maker  of  the  regiment  has  been  mentioned  before.  A 
German  watch-maker  helped  to  keep  good  time.  There 
was  more  than  one  professional  barber,  and  they  received  a 
good  share  of  patronage.  Tailors  were  employed  in  mend 
ing  and  metamorphosing  the  worn  garments  of  the  men.  The 
brick  masons  and  the  carpenters  found  enough  to  do.  The 
Colonel's  quarters  and  the  chapel  at  Miner's  Hill,  the  brick 
ovens  in  the  various  camps,  the  excellent  stockades  at  Camp 
Metcalf  and  the?  comfortable  officers'  quarters  in  the  differ 
ent  camps,  fit  to  live  in  at  any  seaside  resort,  exhibited  the 
skill  of  these  latter  workmen.  A  large  number  of  men 
turned  carvers,  and  practiced  on  beef  bones  the  art  of  mak 
ing  rings,  crosses  and  a  variety  of  other  ornaments. 

For  out-of-door  amusements,  quoits  and  base  ball  were 
played  on  the  parade-ground  at  Camp  Metcalf.  Chess, 
checkers  and  other  games  were  enjoyed  in  the  quarters  of 
the  officers  and  men. 

HEALTH PROMOTIONS LIKKAKY VISITORS. 

The  1st  of  March  marked  five  months  that  the  regiment 
had  been  in  service,  and  during  that  time  there  were  but 
two  deaths.  Colds  and  rheumatism  were  the  prevailing 
complaints.  About  thirty  men  in  that  time  were  discharged 
for  disability.  "A.  D.  N."  writes:  "It  takes  a  whole 
man  to  be  a  soldier,  to  hold  out  well  and  hearty,  and  lie 
must  not  only  be  strong  and  tough,  but  his  heart  must  be  in 
the  work." 

Among  the  promotions  then  made  was  that  of  Adjt.    Fes- 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  109 

senden  from  the  rank  of  second  to  that  of  first  lieutenant. 
The  same  writer  remarked  truly:  "Adjt.  Fessenden  is 
deservedly  popular  among  the  officers  and  men  of  the  regi 
ment,  and  increase  of  rank  is  well  merited  by  him,  both  as 
an  officer  and  a  gentleman." 

At  that  period,  through  the  efforts  of  Chaplain  Gould,  a 
small  library  was  procured  for  the  use  of  the  regiment, 
which  was  gratefully  appreciated  by  those  who  availed  them 
selves  of  its  privileges. 

Messrs.  Sanford  R.  Pierce  and  Miles  G.  Moies,  of  Paw- 
tucket,  also  Lewis  Fail-brother,  Esq.,  wife  and  daughter, 
paid  a  visit  to  the  regiment  late  in  February,  and  were 
gladly  welcomed. 

AWAKE    AND    ASLEEP. 

In  one  of  the  companies  was  a  comrade  subject  to  seasons 
of  somnambulism.  He  went  into  this  state  most  frequently 
at  Camp  Metcalf.  His  performances  were  as  remarkable 
as  any  noted  in  the  medical  books  upon  this  subject.  Lying 
in  his  bunk  in  the  morning,  afternoon,  or  evening,  after  he  had 
come  in  from  guard  duty,  he  would  commence  talking  about 
events  that  had  no  reference  to  the  life  about  him.  He 
would  dictate  letters  to  some  lady  friend,  about  which  he 
remembered  nothing  when  he  awoke.  He  would  promptly 
tell  the  time  by  a  watch  placed  at  the  back  of  his  head. 
He  would  get  up  in  the  night  and  hide  the  candles,  soap  and 
axe  in  the  stove  when  there  was  no  fire  in  it,  chuckling  to 
himself  that  the  corporal  would  not  be  able  to  find  them  in 
the  morning,  when,  in  fact,  the  whole  mess  were  looking  on. 
He  climbed  more  than  once  to  the  top  of  the  tent  pole, 
about  thirteen  feet,  with  no  outer  clothing  on.  He  ran 
down  to  the  guard  line  in  the  same  condition  and  chatted 
lu 


110  HISTORY    OF    THE 

with  the  guard,  received  an  apple  and  ate  it.  He  would 
believe  it  was  sunrise  when  a  lighted  candle  was  slowly 
brought  near  his  eyes,  and  many  other  interesting  things 
might  be  told  about  him. 

The  most  noteworthy  of  all,  was  a  grand  levee  held  one 
afternoon,  where  were  present  Drs.  Grosvenor  and  Perry, 
the  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Chaplain,  with  their  ladies,  the 
captain  of  the  company  and  other  officers  and  men,  invited 
by  one  of  the  mess,  the  tent  being  filled.  The  young  sleeper 
began  his  addresses  to  those  who  were  introduced  to  him, 
and  to  whom  he  gave  his  opinion  as  to  their  characters  in 
no  measured  terms.  He  called  them  by  their  nicknames, 
if  they  had  any,  told  them  their  faults,  and  lectured  them 
for  their  conduct  to  the  men,  as  he  viewed  it.  Imagining 
himself  on  the  deck  of  a  vessel,  a  favorite  way  with  him 
while  in  this  state,  he  put  the  different  parties  through  such 
punishment  as  he  thought  they  deserved.  He  answered 
questions,  sung  songs,  which  he  remembered,  and  did  many 
other  things  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  company,  who 
put  him  to  the  severest  tests.  After  an  hour  or  more  he 
awoke  entirely  ignorant  of  all  that  had  transpired. 

PRESENTATIONS. 

Previous  to  the  3d  of  March,  Miss  Viall,  daughter  of 
Col.  William  Viall,  of  Providence,  presented .  to  Drum- 
Major  Dunbar,  an  elegant  baton,  and  to  Fife-Major  Patt,  a 
fine  sash  and  sword  belt.  The  presentation  was  made  in 
camp  at  headquarters. 

"Company  B,  on  the  3d  of  March,  presented  to  Mr.  Ornam  L. 
Patt,  Fife  Major,  a  very  fine  sword,  and  Orderly-Sergt.  Crocker 
made  the  following  address: 

"  'MAJOR  PATT:  I  have  the  honor,  in  behalf  of  Company  B,  to 
present  you  with  this  sword.  May  you  wear  it  with  honor  to  your- 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  Ill 

self,  to  this  company,  and  the  regiment,  and  by  the  protecting  care 
of  Providence  be  permitted  to  return  with  it  to  your  peaceful  home. 
It  is  bright  now,  and  occasional  rubbing  will  keep  it  so.  As  you 
rub  and  brighten  it,  may  you  also  keep  bright  the  memories  of 
those  who  presented  it,  and  the  kindly  feelings  that  prompted 
the  act.' 

"  The  recipient  thanked  the  donors  in  a  few  appropriate  words, 
in  which  he  stated  that  he  was  taken  wholly  by  '  surprise.'  The 
sword  bore  the  inscription,  'Presented  to  Ornam  L.  Patt,  principal 
musician,  by  Company  B,  Eleventh  Regiment,  Rhode  Island  Vol 
unteers,  March  3,  18(>y.' " 

For  the  above  account  we  are  indebted  to  "  A.  D.  N." 
Company  I  also  had  a  presentation  on  this  wise.  Second- 
Sergt.  Remington,  on  the  6th  of  March,  was  promoted  to 
second-lieutenant,  and  assigned  by  Lieut. -Col.  Pitman  to 
the  post  made  vacant  by  the  promotion  of  Lieut.  Burlingame. 
The  receipt  of  this  news  was  the  signal  to  raise  funds  to 
procure  for  one  so  much  in  favor  with  the  company,  the 
equipments  appropriate  to  his  rank.  Sergt.  F.  P.  Brown 
soon  collected  about  seventy-five  dollars  from  officers  and 
men,  and  a -committee  proceeded  to  Washington  to  make  the 
purchases.  The  new  Lieutenant  was  induced  to  postpone 
his  visit  to  the  city  for  the  purpose  of  being  mustered  out  of 
service,  when  the  trap  was  sprung  and  the  Lieutenant  fairly 
caught. 

About  eight  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  March  10th, 
Company  I,  in  charge  of  the  Orderly,  marched  to  the  Cap 
tain's  quarters,  while  Lieut.  R.  was  at  breakfast,  formed 
three  sides  of  a  square  and  called  him  but.  Before  he 
could  recover  from  his  astonishment:,  Corporal  J.  C.  Thomp 
son  slipped  out  about  the  same  time,  stepped  in  front  and 
addressed  him  at  greater  length  than  we  have  room  for  in 
these  pages.  In  substance  he  said  : 

"  LIEUT.   ORVILLE  M.  REMINGTON:    As  the  mouth-piece  of  this 
Company  I  ask  you  to  accept  this  gift  as  an  expression  of  their  sat- 


112  HISTORY    OF    THE 

isf action  and  pleasure  at  your  promotion.  They  rejoice  the  more 
because  this  honor  is  conferred  upon  one  who  served  as  a  private  in 
that  brave  band  of  Rhode  Island's  sons,  who  so  long  withstood  the 
foe  in  the  first  memorable  battle  of  Bull  Run.  We  hope  and  trust 
that  this  belt  and  sash  will  adorn  the  breast  and  girdle  the  loins  of 
an  ever  brave  and  honorable  officer,  and  that  this  sword  will  be 
wielded  with  ability  and  success— never  dishonored.  When  you 
draw  this  blade  and  look  upon  its  polished  surface,  see  mirrored 
there  the  obedience,  respect  and  attachment  of  Company  I.  For 
this  pleasant  gathering  let  us  render  thanks  to  Him  who  has  gra 
ciously  watched  over  and  blessed  to  the  present  hour,  and  who 
alone  can  return  us  in  due  season  to  the  land  and  homes  that  we 
love." 

Inscribed  upon  the  scabbard  was:  "Presented  to  Lieut. 
Orville  M.  Remington,  Eleventh  Regiment,  R.  I.  V.,  by 
Company  I,  March  9th,  18(53. "  The  cost  of  the  sword, 
sash  and  belt  was  about  sixty-four  dollars.  The  remainder 
of  the  subscription  was  tendered  in  money. 

Lieut.  Remington  responded  in  substance  : 

"COMRADES  OF  COMPANY  I:  I  thank  you  for  this  unexpected 
present.  It  will  be  my  endeavor  to  serve  you  faithfully  and  to 
fulfil  acceptably  the  duties  of  my  position.  I  hope  never  to  prove 
recreant  in  the  service  of  my  country  or  in  devotion  to  my  country's 
flag.  Accept  the  warmest  assurance  of  my  best  wishes  for  your 
success  and  welfare." 

Three  rousing  cheers  and  a  Narragansett  for  Lieut.  R. 
concluded  these  ceremonies. 

OUR    BRASS    BAND. 
/ 

Our  new  brass  band  made  their  appearance  on  dress- 
parade  March  4th.  Their  performance  was  creditable  in  a 
high  degree.  Under  their  leader,  Mr.  Robert  Sieler,*  they 

*A  true  soldier,  talented,  brave  and  devoted  was  Robert  Seiler,  a  member  of 
Company  K.  He  was  a  native  of  Erfurt,  Prussia,  and  had  .served  in  the  Prus 
sian  army  before  emigrating  to  America.  He  was  a  member  of  Company  E, 
First  Rhode  Island.  He  was  leader  of  the  band  in  the  Third  Rhode  Island, 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  113 

had  made  remarkable  progress  in  their  few  weeks  of  prac 
tice.  Maj.  Dunbar,  who  had  charge  of  all  the  music, 
appeared  with  a  new  uniform,  and  the  brilliant  baton  pre 
sented  by  Miss  Viall.  Fife-Maj.  Patt  donned  his  new 
equipments.  'Within  the  thirty-five  days  previous  to  this 
occasion  there  were  twenty-three  when  rain,  hail  or  snow 
fell,  while  some  of  the  storms  were  long  and  severe. 

(iUARI)    DUTY    AT    CONVALESCENT    CAMP. 

Guard  duty  at  the  above-named  camp  was  an  unique  busi 
ness,  and  merits  a  special  notice  in  an  account  of  the  service 
of  this  regiment.  A  regular  observer  would  write  change 
upon  every  day  of  our  duty  there.  These  changes  resulted 
from  the  removal  of  the  troops  from  tents  to  barracks,  the 
absorption  of  the  Distribution  Camp  into  the  Convalescent 
Camp  and  the  departure  of  thousands,  either  because  dis 
charged  from  service  on  account  of  disability,  or  because 
they  were  sent  to  their  respective  regiments. 

This  continual  change  made  consequent  changes  in  the 
performance  of  our  duty.  To-day  the  line  was  here, 
to-morrow  there.  One  day  the  posts  at  the  barracks  were  at 
certain  points,  to-morrow  at  other  places,  and  all  the  time  of 

until  the  order  came  that  regimental  bands  should  be  discontinued.  He  was 
then  mustered  out,  and  enlisted  in  the  Eleventh.  Mustered  out  at  the  expira 
tion  of  term  of  service,  he  again  enlisted  in  the  Third  Rhode  Island  Cavalry. 
He  was  sergeant  from  April  15,  1804.  He  was  taken  prisoner,  and  during 
Sherman's  march  to  the  sea,  he  was  confined  within  a  stockade,  where,  the 
river  rising,  he  was  obliged  to  stand  in  the  water  for  twenty-four  hours,  up  to 
his  waist.  He  was  paroled  April  ^d,  1805,  and  discharged  after  the  close  of 
the  war,  July  15,  18G5.  In  the  Eleventh,  Seiler  was  detailed  as  musician. 
Soon  after  the  Eleventh  went  into  the  Held  a  brass  band  was  organized  and  he 
was  appointed  leader.  This  position  he  held  through  the  campaign.  Four 
times  was  he  regularly  and  honorably  discharged.  From  the  etfects  of  his 
Imprisonment,  especially  from  standing  in  the  water,  as  mentioned  above,  he 
was  attacked  with  rheumatism,  and  finally  with  lung  disease,  from  the  effects 
of  which  he  died  about  1870. 


114  HISTOHY    OF    THE 

our  sojourn  there,  the  rainy  and  snowy  days  were  so  fre 
quent  that  the  ground  over  which  the  guard  had  to  pass, 
and  on  which  they  had  to  stand,  approached  the  batter  state 
more  nearly  than  any  other. 

A  detail  of  about  half  the  effective  men  of  six  companies 
performed  the  duties  of  each  day,  a  fresh  detail  being  sent 
out  each  morning.  These  were  made  up  of  three  reliefs  of 
four  hours  each,  each  relief  from  two  of  these  companies. 
At  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  first  relief  arrived  at  the 
headquarters  of  the  guard  of  Camp  Convalescent ;  a  portion 
were  posted  on  a  line  nearly  one  mile  in  length,  compassing 
the  right  side  of  the  camp,  and  about  an  equal  number  on  a 
line  of  the  same  length  on  the  left.  A  dozen  guards,  more 
or  less,  were  posted  among  the  barracks.  The  muskets  of 
the  guard  were  loaded  with  ball,  and  the  instructions  were 
to  let  no  one  pass  without  a  pass  properly  signed. 

The  men  'preferred  to  stand  four  hours  and  be  off  eight,  so 
as  to  get  longer  rest  and  lose  less  time  in  passing  over  this 
extended  line. 

At  night  the  duty  often  assumed  a  comico-serious  aspect, 
which  we  believe  resulted  only  in  the  most  ludicrous  acci 
dents.  Almost  Egyptian  darkness  enshrouded  the  camp, 
the  woods,  hills  and  dells,  unless  the  moon  lent  her  borrowed 
light  for  our  benefit.  On  one  such  night,  when  the  guard 
were  returning  to  the  quarters,  they  performed  some  singular 
feats.  Some  wandered  a  long  distance  out  of  the  way,  tum 
bled  over  stumps,  fell  into  brooks  and  ditches,  went  in  over 
their  knees  in  mud,  or  plunged  the  butts  of  their  guns  into 
the  mud  in  feeling  their  way.  One  man,  after  dancing  over 
a  plank,  splashing  the  water  all  the  way,  put  out  his  hands 
and  embraced  a  horse's  head.  He  was  greeted  with  a  show 
of  welcome,  it  may  have  been  a  horse  laugh,  but  received 
no  harm.  Another  undertook  to  pilot  a  small  squad,  and. 


ELEVENTH    1{E<JIMKXT.  11;") 

just  as  he  was  sure  he  saw  a  landmark,  pitched  into  a  pair 
of  mules.  These  are  mild  samples.  Many  truthful  and 
more  ludicrous  stories  might  be  told  which  would  take  the 
palm  from  anything  we  have  written,  and  an  inspection  of 
the  persons  of  the  men  on  the  next  morning  would  have 
endorsed  the  whole  account. 

A    STORM RETURN    OF    THE    WANDERERS PROMOTIONS. 

A  most  singular  storm  visited  us  Sunday,  March  loth. 
It  began  to  hail  early  in  the  afternoon  and  continued  fiercely 
for  four  or  live  hours.  This  was  followed  about  half-past 
three  in  the  afternoon,  by  the  most  brilliant  and  dazzling 
lightning,  accompanied  by  the  heaviest  and  most  magnificent 
thunder.  This  display  lasted,  with  brief  intervals,  more 
than  two  hours. 

Companies  C  and  K  returned  to  us  again  on  the  16th, 
and  the  Distributing  Camp  was  then  removed  to  the  tents 
in  Camp  Convalescent,  formerly  occupied  by  the  Pennsylva 
nia  troops.  To  celebrate  the  departure  of  Companies  K 
and  C  from  the  Distribution  Camp,  some  eight  of  the 
soldiers  in  that  camp,  about  to  report  to  their  regiments, 
armed  with  axes,  broke  into  the  sutler's  store  (after  sur 
rounding  and  threatening  a  single  guard  of  Company  C), 
and  quicker  than  it  would  be  possible  to  tell  it,  cleaned  his 
store  out.  In  the  confusion,  the  clerk  inside  escaped  and 
gave  the  alarm.  The  officers  and  men  of  Company  C  soon 
appeared  at  the  door,  out  of  which  the  thieves,  who  then 
had  warning  of  what  was  coming,  were  rushing,  and  cap 
tured  four  of  them  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Two  more 
were  afterwards  arrested  with  the  stolen  goods  in  their  pos 
session.  That  game  was  not  tried  again. 

The  return  of  these  two  companies  was  accompanied  bv, 


HISTORY    OF    THE 

to  them,  a  rather  rough  experience.  Obliged  to  guard  the 
Distribution  Camp  while  removing,  they  came  over  in  par 
cels,  had  not  sufficient  time  to  pitch  their  tents,  and  arrange 
their  quarters,  and  were  obliged  to  seek  shelter  from  the 
damp  and  muddy  ground  in  their  old  location  amori"'  the 
other  companies  in  the  regiment.  A  generous  hospitality 
was  extended  to  them.  They  were  immediately  detailed  to 
do  guard  duty  with  the  other  companies  at  Camp  Convales 
cent,  and  thus  performed  forty-eight  hours'  guard  duty  with 
out  the  accustomed  rest,  and  with  no  respite  to  erect  their 
stockades,  except  the  intervals  between  guard  reliefs.  They 
had  boasted  somewhat  of  their  light  duties  and  extra  privi 
leges,  and  this  change,  which  was  probably  considered  a 
"military  necessity,"  was  like  a  change  from  the  tropics  to 
Greenland  without  due  preparation. 

There  were  further  promotions  in  the  latter  part  of  March. 
First-Lieut.  James  was  made  captain  of  Company  E,  and 
Second-Lieut.  Clark  was  made  first  lieutenant  of  the  same 
company.  Sergt.  Ira  Wilson,  of  Company  C,  was  promoted 
to  be  second  lieutenant  of  Company  C. 

OUR   THIRD    COLONEL RUMORS. 

Col.  George  E.  Church,  a  captain  in  the  Seventh  Rhode 
Island,  well  recommended  to  us  in  advance,  arrived  in  camp 
on  the  20th  instant,  and  assumed  command  by  an  order  at 
dress-parade. 

Camp  rumors  were  generally  so  idle  that  they  were  not 
worth  noticing,  but  a  sample  just  here,  may  not  be  amiss. 
Towards  the  first  of  April,  the  question  of  our  removal  was 
constantly  agitated.  One  day  we  were  to  go  with  Burnside 
to  Newbern,  the  next  to  guard  Long  Bridge,  and  when  it 
turned  out  that  the  gallant  Burnside  was  to  go  west,  it  was 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  117 

reported,  "We  shall  leave  next  week  for  Kentucky." 
Shadows  of  fancy  was  the  better  name  for  these  stories,  and 
the  rumors  that  our  friends  at  home  heard  concerning  us 
had  about  the  same  value.  It  was  undoubtedly  true  at  thai 
time,  and,  as  the  event  proved,  that  Gen.  Heintzleman,  who 
was  in  command  of  the  defences  of  Washington,  and  who, 
it  was  then  thought,  loved  to  fight  the  rebels  as  much  as  to 
eat  his  breakfast,  had  no  idea  of  letting  us  go  until  some 
greater  emergency  than  then  existed,  required  the  abandon 
ment  of  one  service  to  attend  to  another. 

From  all  we  can  gather,  Company  B  had  a  greater  share 
of  "extras"  than  any  other  company.  Paper,  envelopes, 
stamps,  a  copy  of  the  Washington  Daily  Chronicle  for  each 
mess,  and  a  weekly  paper,  pictorial  or  otherwise,  sand,  black 
ing,  oil,  polishing-powder,  emery-paper,  and  in  the  latter  part 
of  March,  "rations  of  green  apples."  Their  "company 
fund"  was  large,  their  friends  with  money  many,  and  their 
visitors  who  remembered  them  handsomely,  numerous. 

Adjt.-Gen.  Mauran  made  a  visit  near  the  close  of  the 
month,  and  expressed  himself  highly  pleased  with  the  con 
dition  and  appearance  of  the  regiment.  He  received  a 
serenade  from  our  brass  band.  Also  the  Rev.  J.  G.  Adams, 
who  came  to  visit  his  son  in  Company  I.  He  expressed 
himself  well  pleased  with  the  regiment,  united  heartily  in 
our  religious  services,  and  made  a  very  favorable  impression 
upon  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  Lieut.  Edwards,* 

*" First-Lieut.  ,J.  T.  Edwards  was  the  accomplished  and  popular  principal  of 
the  .Seminary  at  East  Greenwich.  He  is  now  the  Uev.  Dr.  Edwards,  President 
of  the  Chamberlain  Female  College,  at  Randolph,  Cattaraugus  county,  New 
York.  While  Companies  C  and  K  were  at  the  Camp  Distribution,  Lieut. 
Edwards  was  on  duty  as  Adjutant  at  the  Parole  Camp,  near  Alexandria,  under 
command  of  Col.  DeKorpony.  While  at  this  place,  Lieut.  Edwards  was 
attacked  with  heart  disease  in  an  acute  and  aggravated  form.  In  accordance 
with  positive  directions  from  the  surgeon  in  charge  of  the  camp,  he  resigned. 
His  resignation  being  accepted,  he  was  discharged  March  2f>,  18(53,  and  Second- 
Lieut.  Thurber  was  promoted  to  his  place." 


11.8  HIMTOlir    OF    THE 

of  Company  K,  who  held  a  position  in  Camp  Parole, 
resigned  on  account  of  ill-health,  and  Lieut.  Burlingame 
also,  for  satisfactory  reasons.  Messrs.  Henry  L.  Fairbrother, 
of  Pawtucket,  and  Nathan  Fuller,  Jr.,  of  Central  Falls, 
visited  the  regiment  on  the  26th  instant.  Our  Chaplain  took 
a  furlough,  and  the  Adjutant  performed  the  duties  of  post 
master.  Up  to  April  1st  the  religious  interest  at  the  Conva 
lescent  Camp  was  undiminished.  Meetings  were  held  twice 
a  day,  and  many  were  spiritually  benefited. 

DEATH A     STORM FIRST     APPEARANCE     OF    COL.     CHURCH — 

six  MONTHS'  SERVICE. 

The  angel  of  death  entered  our  ranks  for  the  third  time 
on  the  1st  of  April,  taking  Mr.  Gardiner  Northup,  a  young 
man  of  Company  II,  after  an  illness  of  three  weeks.  His 
health  had  been  good  up  to  the  first  day  of  his  sickness. 
The  officers  and  men  cf  his  company  bore  testimony  to  his 
excellent  character  from  his  first  day's  service  until  his 
decease.  His  body  was  borne  to  his  grave  by  his  comrades 
of  Company  H,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Joel  Metcalf. 
The  customary  military  honors  were  paid  to  his  remains. 
Rev.  Philo  Hawkes,  of  Company  I,  officiated  most  accept 
ably  at  the  burial. 

Previous  to  Saturday,  the  4th  of  April,  we  had  a  few 
delightful  golden  days,  but  between  five  and  six  o'clock,  of 
that  day,  the  fiercest  storm  of  wind  and  snow  that  we  had 
experienced  began.  After  two  or  three  hours  the  wind 
abated,  but  the  snow  continued  till  noon  th'e  next  day,  and 
was  one  of  our  deepest  snows.  Rare  as  this  should  have 
been  at  that  season,  we  had  learned  to  expect  rare  things 
and  make  the  best  of  them. 

Col.  Church  took  command  at  battalion  drill  for  the  first 
time,  Mondav,  the  30th  of  March.  A  severe  cold,  the  first 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  119 

th.it  had  kept  him  from  duty  since  he  entered  the  service, 
detained  him  until  that  time.  Upon  his  appearance  the 
companies  in  line  gave  him  three  cheers. 

We  had  seen  full  six  months'  service  Monday,  April  6th. 
During  the  time,  ending  April  1st,  we  had  one  hundred  and 
thirty-four  men  in  the  hospital ;  sixty-eight  had  returned  to 
duty  ;  six  had  died  ;  three  of  the  latter  after  their  discharge 
from  the  general  hospital ;  thirty-one  had  been  discharged 
for  disability,  and  five  only  had  been  in  the  general  hospital. 
Our  lot  was  similar  to  that  of  the  Twenty-second  Connecti 
cut  and  the  Fortieth  Massachusetts,  both  of  which,  up  to 
the  1st  of  April,  were  far  less  healthy  than  the  Eleventh, 
while  we  had  seen  two  months  of  the  most  wearing  service. 
We  have  before  shown  that  earnest  efforts  were  made  to 
have  the  regiment  sent  into  active  service  at  the  front,  but 
up  to  that  date,  for  wise  reasons,  doubtless,  the  command 
ing  general  chose  to  keep  us  at  guard  duty. 

FAIRFAX    SEMINARY    HOSPITAL. 

Early  in  April,  Capt.  Kendrick,  of  Company  I,  and  the 
writer  visited  this  hospital,  some  two  miles  to  the  south  and 
crowning  the  hills  in  front  of  us.  It  was  a  pleasin"-  and 
prominent  object  in  our  surroundings,  and  some  description 
of  it  will  not  be  deemed  out  of  place  here.  It  had  been  a 
flourishing  Episcopal  Theological  Seminary,  of  which  Bishop 
Meade  was  president,  and  Rev.  Drs.  Sparrow,  May  and 
Packard,  professors.  Some  Providence  ministers  of  that 
date  received  their  training  there.  The  buildings  were  con 
verted  by  the  government  into  a  general  hospital,  and  to 
that  fact  was  due  their  careful  preservation  from  the  terrible 
ravages  of  war  so  apparent  in  the  whole  vicinity,  and  seen 
here  in  the  absence  of  the  fences  that  protected  the  grounds. 

We  sought  out  Rev.   Mr.   Jerome,    Chaplain  for  the  hos- 


120  HISTORY    OF    THE 

pi tal,  through  whose  courtesy  we  had  a  view  of  the  whole 
establishment.  There  were  three  principal  buildings.  The 
centre,  known  as  Aspinwall  Hall,  a  h'ne  piece  of  architec 
ture,  at  a  distance  might  be  taken  for  an  elegant  modern 
church.  The  library  building,  much  smaller,  was  on  the 
right  of  this,  and  the  chapel  on  the  left.  The  lower  floor  of 
Aspinwall  Hall  was  used  for  the  offices  of  surgeons  and 
attendants,  and  the  upper  floors,  which  were  students' 
rooms,  were  used  for  hospital  purposes.  We  passed  up  the 
staircases  through  all  the  halls  and  ascended  to  the  cupola 
or  steeple,  from  which  we  obtained  a  splendid  view  of  the 
country  for  miles  around.  Every  arrangement  was  made 
for  the  comfort  of  the  patients,  and  the  floors  and  stairways 
almost  shone  with  cleanliness.  Besides  a  delightful  prospect, 
there  was  an  abundance  of  sunlight  and  fresh  air. 

The  library  building  was  happily  adapted  for  its  new  pur 
pose.  On  the  shelves  in  the  alcoves  were  arranged  bottles 
of  drugs — remedies  for  the  diseased  body,  where  once  had 
been  food  and  medicine  for  the  mind  and  soul.  The  general 
appearance  of.  the  interior  reminded  one  of  a  h'ne  looking 
apothecary's  shop  on  Westminster  street,  Providence. 

The  chapel  was  reserved  for  services  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
prayer  and  conference  meetings  during  the  week.  Similar 
services  were  held  in  the  barracks  for  those  who  were  obliged 
to  remain  or  were  unable  to  walk  far.  A  good  library  was 
provided  for  the  use  of  patients  and  convalescents.  A  short 
distance  to  the  northwest  was  the  high  school  building,  also 
a  part  of  the  hospital.  Near  the  Seminary  there  was  a  row 
of  seven  or  eight  barracks,  which,  with  the  buildings,  accom 
modated  nine  hundred  men.  In  the  previous  summer,  hos 
pital  tents  wrere  erected,  and  then  eighteen  hundred  patients 
were  cared  for. 

On  our  way  back  to  camp,  by  a  very   pleasant   route,    we 


ELEVENTH    KKdLMENT.  121 

passed  a  large  number  of  magnolia  trees  just  putting  forth 
their  buds.  One  monster  tree,  that  had  been  ruthlessly  felled, 
measured  nearly  four  feet  in  diameter. 

DISCIPLIXK — PAY MAKCIIINC;    OkDKRS. 

The  reins  of  discipline  in  our  camp  were  drawn  much 
tighter  at  that  time.  A  portion  of  the  best  men  in  Company 
B,  while  on  camp  guard,  though  not  on  their  posts  at  the 
time,  refused  to  do  the  extra  duty  of  plastering  with  mud 
the  stockade  of  the  guard-house,  and  at  dress-parade  a  sen 
tence  was  read  depriving  them  of  half  a  month's  pay.  In 
a  few  days,  however,  the  sentence,  though  in  accord  with 
the  Articles  of  War,  was  revoked  by  the  Colonel,  in  consid 
eration  of  the  usual  good  behavior  of  the  men. 

Wednesday  and  Thursday,  the  8th  and  9th  of  April, 
brought  the  Paymaster  with  the  long-wished  for  four 
months'  pay.  This  put  the  boys  in  good  spirits  ;  some  of 
them  in  too  good  spirits. 

The  following  amounts  were  sent  home  by  the  officers  and 
men  of  the  various  companies,  most  of  it  through  the  Allot 
ment  Commissioner : 

Company  B,  $4,7(53  ;  I,  $4,075  ;  A,  $3,100  ;  D,  $2,100  ; 
E,  $3,000  ;  H,  $2,700  ;  G,  $3,900  ;  K,  $3,145  ;  C,  $3,000  ; 
total,  $33,783.  The  Allotment  Commissioner  took  with 
him  $30,905.83. 

Sunday  morning,  the  12th  instant,  we  received  orders  to 
hold  ourselves  in  readiness  to  inarch  the  next  morning ;  but 
we  remained  in  our  old  location,  pursuing  the  even  tenor  of 
our  way,  waiting  for  the  order  to  strike  tents  and  pack 
knapsacks,  when,  with  hearty  cheers  and  a  trust  in  Divine 
Providence,  we  would  march  wherever  Uncle  Sam  told  us. 
11 


122  HISTORY    OF    THE 


FAREWELL      TO      CAMP      CONVALESCENT WELCOME      THE 

POTOMAC    AND    CHESAPEAKE    BAY. 

The  monotony  of  guard  duty  was  broken  on  the  morning 
of  April  15th,  and  the  last  third  of  our  term  of  service 
opened  new  scenes  and  duties  to  the  boys  of  the  Eleventh. 
At  half-past  two  o'clock  in  the,  to  us  memorable,  morning 
we  were  aroused  from  slumber  and  ordered  to  pack  knap 
sacks  and  be  ready  to  march  at  daylight.  Then  began  the 
busy  scene,  the  noise  and  confusion,  and  cheering  of  a  regi 
ment  of  excited  men,  about  to  bid  good-bye  to  comfortable 
quarters,  take  their  hotels  upon  their  backs,  and  march 
whithersoever  ordered.  All  sorts  of  conveniences  that  could 
neither  be  sent  home  nor  carried  with  us,  must  be  parted 
with  ;  all  household  goods  must  be  compressed  into  the  com 
pass  of  a  knapsack,  and  woe  to  the  man  who  loaded  too 
heavily. 

Bonfires  from  the  straw  contained  in  our  bed-sacks  soon 
lit  the  foot  of  our  various  streets,  the  work  of  preparation 
went  rapidly  on,  and  by  sunrise  it  was  essentially  completed. 
The  last  cup  of  coffee  was  drunk,  the  last  breakfast  taken, 
the  companies  formed  and  marched  out  into  line  ;  the  only 
drawback  was  the  increasing  easterly  storm.  The  whole 
regiment  in  line  extended  beyond  our  parade-ground,  and 
seemed  as  large  as  many  a  brigade.  The  men  were  in  high 
spirits. 

Our  quarters  were  left  unmoved  and  uninjured,  and  the 
contrabands  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  troops  that  relieved  us, 
reaped  a  harvest  of  rations,  clothing  boxes,  soap,  pans, 
jars,  and  many  other  things. 

Just  before  seven  o'clock  (staff  officers  all  on  foot)  we 
marched  to  the  railroad  that  passes  Camp  Convalescent,  and 
took  standing  tickets  in  box  cars  for  Alexandria,  or  as  "A. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  123 

D.  N."  puts  it,  'k  We  were  huddled  together  like  so  many 
sheep."  The  boys  in  the  Convalescent  and  Stragglers' 
Camp  turned  out  and  gave  us  many  an  uncomplimentary 
greeting,  and,  as  we  marched  past  them,  we  saw  the  Pennsyl 
vania  Reserves  coming  over  the  hill  to  occupy  our  camp  and 
perform  our  duty.  Nothing  could  have  pleased  the  conva 
lescents  more.  "J.  B.  G."  thus  speaks  of  the  "Reserves"  : 
44  It  was  an  amusing  scene,  as  the  men,  poorly  clad,  and 
bearing  the  marks  of  hard  service,  ran  from  tent  to  tent  to 
gather  up  and  appropriate  to  their  own  use  whatever  was  to 
be  found.  One  seized  a  table,  another  an  axe,  another  a 
broom,  another  a  bed,  and  all  seemed  highly  delighted  to 
find  such  good  quarters  provided  for  them." 

Having  climbed  into  the  cars — which  climbing  in  cannot 
be  described — in  a  few  minutes  we  reached  Alexandria.  A 
short  march  brought  us  to  the  transports  gathered  at  the 
wharves,  and,  with  very  little  detention,  we  embarked  on 
board  the  steamer  Hero.  It  was  then  eight  o'clock.  We 
did  not  leave  the  wharf  until  nearly  one  o'clock,  and  then 
steamed  slowly  down  the  Potomac.  We  were  surprised  to 
greet  our  old  neighbors,  the  Fortieth  Massachusetts,  the 
Twenty-second  Connecticut,  and  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
first  New  York.  What  or  how  many  others  there  were,  we 
did  not  know.  We  have  been  strongly  impressed,  since  then, 
that  when  these  troops  moved  to  the  defence  of  Suffolk,  very 
few  troops  remained  in  the  defences  of  Washington.  Day 
and  evening,  as  we  steamed  slowly  on,  a  northeast  rain  beat 
steadily  and  half-fiercely  upon  everything  exposed  to  its 
attack  ;  entering  every  crack  and  crevice  and  in  every  part 
of  that  almost  worn-out  old  craft  (that  years  previously 
plied  between  Providence  and  New  York,  and  New  York 
and  Hartford),  dropping  through  the  promenade  deck,  and 
in  some  places  pouring  upon  the  clothing  and  equipments  of 


124  HISTORY    OF    THE 

more  than  nine  hundred  men.  Had  the  weather  permitted, 
every  available  space  would  have  been  crowded  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  the  sights  along  the  shore,  but,  driven  under 
cover,  the  floors  all  mud  and  water,  clothes  damp,  air  foul, 
everything  about  us  was  as  nearly  disagreeable  as  could  be  ; 
yet  the  men's  faces  were  not  long ;  they  were  far  more 
cheerful  than  persons  unaccustomed  to  observe  soldier-life 
could  have  believed.  All  this  did  not  prevent  us  from  look 
ing  at  such  places  of  interest  as  Mount  Vernon,  Acquia 
Creek,  Fort  Washington,  one  of  the  finest  forts  on  the  river 
and  presenting  a  splendid  appearance  from  the  water,  and 
other  points.  After  a  run  of  about  seventy  miles,  we 
anchored  for  the  night  off  Point  Matthias.  How  we  slept 
during  the  night  it  would  take  too  much  space  to  describe. 
The  greater  part,  in  some  other  posture  than  lying  down  ; 
our  accommodations  were  about  the  same  as  for  so  many 
cattle.  Some  were  more  fortunate  than  others. 

The  morning  of  April  10th  dawned  without  a  storm,  and 
soon  after  sunrise  a  streak  of  light  gleamed  in  the  western 
sky.  The  day  was  pleasant,  with  little  sunshine,  and  the 
air  much  warmer.  Our  brass  band  turned  out  early  and 
gave  us  some  fine  music  for  breakfast  (hard-tack  alone  had 
been  our  fare  since  we  started),  and  again,  at  a  later  hour, 
on  the  hurricane  deck.  All  improved  the  opportunity  to  view 
noteworthy  localities,  and  the  day  passed  much  more  pleas 
antly  than  the  day  before.  Great  interest  was  taken  in  the 
relative  movements  of  the  slow  boats  that  composed  our 
fleet.  We  were  reminded  of  the  well-known  ditty  : 

"  Two  blind  men  went  to  see 
Two  cripples  run  a  race." 

We  passed  the  Rappahannock  and  York  rivers,  and  as  we 
approached  Fortress  Monroe,  every  one  turned  out  to  view 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  12") 

it.  It  need  not  bo  described  here.  The  evening  was  fine, 
and  the  whole  scene  around  the  fortress  pleasing  and  novel. 
Our  fleet  of  transports  reported  immediately  on  their  arrival. 
Union  men-of-war  were  at  anchor  in  the  Roads,  together 
with  an  English  war  steamer  and  a  French  steam  frigate  of 
forty-four  guns.  The  Rip  Raps,  where  criminal  soldiers 
were  sent  to  labor,  attracted  our  attention. 

OFF    FOR    NORFOLK    AND    SUFFOLK. 

The  mail  was  sent  ashore  at  once,  and  the  delay  at  the 
fortress  was  brief.  While  we  were  in  the  vicinity  our  band 
discoursed  some  excellent  music,  which  drew  forth  from  the 
splendid  band  of  the  French  steamer,  several  fine  pieces. 
We  inferred  from  the  movements  of  the  other  transports 
that  we  were  to  proceed  directly  to  Norfolk,  and,  after  wait 
ing  a  little  for  the  return  of  the  boat  from  shore,  we  steamed 
off  in  that  direction,  giving  the  French  frigate  three  cheers 
in  parting. 

FLAG    OF    THE    CUMBERLAND. 

After  passing  Fortress  Monroe  on  the  way  to  Norfolk,  a 
little  distance  from  our  steamer,  off  at  the  right,  was  plainly 
seen,  just  appearing  above  the  waves,  what  remained  of  the 
flag  of  the  Cumberland,  still  floating  from  the  top  of  her 
mast.  What  a  flood  of  thoughts  and  suggestions  came 
welling  up  in  the  mind  on  witnessing  this  little  flag  still  flut 
tering  in  the  breeze,  so  long  after  the  powerful  Merrimac  had 
sent  to  the  bottom  the  once  famous  United  States  war  ship, 
"Cumberland,"  and  in  her  turn,  disabled  by  the  little  Mon 
itor,  she,  too,  had  been  abandoned  and  sunk  at  Norfolk. 

Seven  o'clock  brought  us  alongside  the  wharves  at  Nor 
folk,  where  our  arrival  had  been  anticipated  by  the  govern- 


12f)  HISTORY    OF    THE 

ment  officials,  and  a  long  train  of  cars  was  ready  to  take  us 
and  other  regiments  through  to  Suffolk.  About  nine  o'clock, 
and  again  in  the  middle  of'  the  night,  a  portion  of  our  regi 
ment  departed  for  that  place.  Companies  B  and  I,  and  a 
part  of  Company  H  remained  to  steal  the  sweetest  sleep 
possible  from  the  brick  sidewalks  and  wooden  wharves  of 
East  Wide  Water  street,  Norfolk.  Camp-fires  were  built 
at  the  street-crossings  and  the  men  and  officers  made  them 
selves  peculiarly  at  home.  All  were  aroused  at  five  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  many  availed  themselves  of  the  privi 
lege  of  looking  about  to  see  the  kind  of  a  place  w-e  were  in. 
We  were  suprised  to  find  so  well-built  a  city  ;  but  we  received 
no  sympathy  except  from  those  people  who  did  not  wear 
white  faces.  The  contrabands  were  pleased  and  polite. 

At  six  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  17th,  the  companies 
that  remained  in  Norfolk  took  the  cars  for  Suffolk,  and  we 
felt  well  paid  for  the  delay.  The  majority  of  us  were  upon 
ordinary  flats,  sixty  on  a  car  ;  but  we  had  an  unobstructed 
view  of  the  country  over  which  we  passed,  and  enjoyed,  in 
the  bright  sunshine  and  cool  of  the  morning,  a  most  beauti 
ful  ride.  Nature  was  wide  awake.  Large  and  well  culti 
vated  vegetable  gardens  on  either  side,  with  apple  and  peach 
trees  in  full  bloom,  greeted  us  in  the  first  part  of  our  journey, 
and  magnificent  forests  of  pine  and  other  tall  woods  in  the 
latter  part.  We  also  passed  the  northern  end  of  the.  great 
Dismal  Swamp.  Eight  o'clock  saw  us  in  line  in  the  princi 
pal  street  of  Suffolk,  after  passing  a  large  number  of  camps 
in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Soon  the  whole  column,  Col. 
Church  at  the  head,  •  was  on  the  move.  We  marched 
through  the  long  street  to  soul-stirring  music,  the  long  line 
and  fine  band  creating  no  little  sensation. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  127 


PART   III. 

SUFFOLK  AND  THE  BLACKWATER. 

AT  nine  o'clock  our  knapsacks  were  unslung,  and  we  were 
ready  to  encamp  on  a  parcel  of  ground  hardly  large  enough 
for  the  purpose,  isolated  from  the  rest  of  our  forces,  and 
separate  from  the  other  regiments  of  Gen.  Terry's  brigade, 
into  which  we  had  been  ordered.  On  each  side  of  us  were  a 
deep  gully  and  a  brook,  in  true  Virginia  style.  Just  west 
and  northwest  of  us  was  the  Nansemond  river,  and  in  the 
semi-circle  on  the  same  side  were  our  heavy  and  light  bat 
teries  and  gun-boats.  Across  the  river,  and  in  rifle  range, 
were  the  rebels.  Neither  side  was  idle. 

AT    THE    FRONT. 

"  Gov.  Sprague's  pet  regiment"  was  at  the  front  at  last. 
If  we  were  not  permitted  after  this  to  enter  into  any  general 
engagement  with  the  enemy,  it  was  because  Divine  Provi 
dence  had  us  in  keeping.  The  bullets  of  the  enemy  made 
music  through  the  day,  while  ringing  responses  were  made 
by  our  side.  The  constant  heavy  firing  from  Union  gun 
boats  and  batteries,  told  every  hour  that  work  was  going  on. 
A  short  walk,  within  a  radius  of  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
camp,  and  the  rebels  were  in  plain  sight.  A  large  force  of 
Union  troops  were  already  upon  the  ground,  and  other  regi 
ments  were  arriving  daily. 

We  occupied  our  shelter  tents,  crawled  in  and  out  of  them, 
and  lived  in  the  open  air  as  much  as  possible.  The  violet, 
the  anemone,  and  the  strawberrv  bloomed  around  us.  A 


HISTORY    OF    THE 

peach  orchard  was  in  full  flower  not  far  off.  All  was  life. 
The  men  were  in  the  finest  spirits  and  seemed  to  rejoice  in 
the  change.  Our  line  officers  flourished  in  "A"  tents. 
Rations  of  good  quality  were  served  out,  and  the  boys,  after 
living  on  hard-tack  only,  for  two  days,  did  justice  to  them. 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  see  almost  a  whole  regiment  taking  their 
meals  out  of  doors,  and  a  splendid  sight  before  tattoo  to  view 
such  an  encampment  lit  up  by  camp-fires  and  candle-light. 

The  inevitable  dress-parade  came  off  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  day  of  our  arrival  at  the  new  camp.  Gen.  Terry  was 
present,  and  was  well  pleased  with  our  appearance.  We 
were  assigned  to  a  post  of  honor  and  importance.  From 
Tuesday  until  Friday  night  the  men  had  but  little  rest.  The 
few  slightly  indisposed  when  we  started  were  better  on  Sat 
urday  morning,  and  very  few  were  excused  by  the  surgeon. 
The  regiment  was  in  fine  condition  for  service. 

Thousands  of  men,  comprising  many  regiments,  had  broken 
up  their  winter  encampments,  and  in  forty-eight  hours  been 
transported  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  If  this  was  not 
the  greatest  despatch,  it  was  too  much  for  the  rebels  who 
meant  to  capture  Suffolk. 

On  Monday,  previous  to  leaving  Camp  Metcalf  (13th), 
our  Drum-Maj.  Dunbar  received  a  present  of  a  handsome 
sword,  appropriate  to  his  rank,  from  the  officers  and  men  of 
Company  A.  Capt.  Ayer,  in  a  terse  and  forcible  speech, 
presented  it,  and  the  Major  responded  very  happily.  At 
the  instance  of  Capt.  Ayer,  three  rousing  cheers  were  given 
for  "our  good-looking  drum-major,"  an:l  the  company 
marched  to  dress-parade.* 

*  Previous  to  April  13th,  Second-Lieut.  Daniel  Bush,  Company  B,  was  pro 
moted  to  first  lieutenant  and  assigned  to  Company  H.  Sergt.  William  T. 
Luther,  Company  A,  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  and  assigned  to  Com 
pany  B.  The  Sergeant-Major  of  the  regiment  was  promoted  to  second  lieuten 
ant  and  assigned  to  Company  K.  Sergt.  Charles  H.  Scott  became  acting 
sergeant  major. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 

WHAT     THE     REBELS    TRIED     TO     DO CAPTURE     OF     A     REBEL 

BATTERY. 

At  the  time  of  our  move  to  Suffolk,  sensational  corres 
pondents  of  some  of  the  New  York  and  Philadelphia  papers 
gave  alarming  accounts  of  the  situation.  The  correspond 
ence  of  the  New  York  Tribune  was  not  of  that  character. 
We  had  heard  exaggerated  accounts  of  a  battle  that  had 
lasted  four  or  five  days,  and  that  probably  we  should  be 
engaged  as  soon  as  we  reached  there  ;  but  it  turned  out  that 
on  Saturday,  the  llth  instant,  previous  to  our  arrival,  the 
enemy,  in  some  force,  appeared  in  front  of  our  pickets, 
drove  them  in  or  captured  them,  advanced  to  our  outermost 
signal  station,  beyond  the  Nansemond  and  in  view  of  the 
South  Quay  battery,  expecting  that  the  officer  in  charge 
would  skedaddle  in  fright,  without  informing  our  side  ;  but 
he  failed  to  meet  their  expectations,  and  first  telegraphed  to 
the  next  station,  and  in  five  minutes  after  the  Union  troops 
in  and  around  Suffolk  had  manned  the  forts,  and  to  the  great 
discomfiture  of  the  rebels  on  attacking  our  defences  they 
obtained  more  than  they  bargained  for.  They  were  also 
bravely  foiled  in  another  instance,  in  their  attempt  to  destroy 
our  gun-boats,  one  of  which,  unfortunately,  grounded.  From 
that  day  forward  the  Union  forces  repelled  all  their  efforts  to 
cross  the  river,  and  thwarted  all  their  attempts  to  plant  bat 
teries  or  dig  rifle-pits  to  annoy  us.  Thus  were  the  efforts  of 
Longstreet  and  forty  thousand  men,  to  capture  the  ammuni 
tion  and  stores  at  Suffolk,  and  to  gain  a  permanent  foot-hold 
in  that  locality,  if  that  was  his  ultimate  object,  utterly  foiled. 

A  well-managed  affair  came  oft'  Sunday  evening,  April 
19th,  in  which  one  of  our  gun-boats  engaged  a  battery  in 
range,  while  detatchments  of  several  regiments  of  our 
infantry  crossed  the  river,  made  a  circuit  higher  up  and 


130  HISTORY    OF    THE 

captured  the  battery  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  includ 
ing  a  major  and  nine  other  commissioned  officers.  Our  loss 
was  slight.  The  rebels  called  it  a  Yankee  trick.  The 
prisoners  were  in  jail  near  by  our  camp,  and  we  saw  them, 
as  great  a  variety  of  jail-birds  as  were  ever  seen.  Hats  of 
all  shapes,  vests  and  pants  of  all  colors,  unclean  and  dirty, 
ragged  and  patched,  and  shoes  that  laughed  and  cried  by 
turns.  They  were  very  hungry,  if  the  style  in  which  they 
devoured  the  food  given  them,  the  same  as  the  Union  soldiers 
received,  was  evidence. 

Maj.-Gen.  Peck  was  in  the  command,  at  Suffolk,  of  a 
large  and  well  appointed  army.  There  were  nine  or  ten 
miles  of  fortifications  extending  all  around  us.  Day  arid 
night  the  shells  of  our  big  guns  howled  in  our  ears,  Avinging 
their  way  to  the  concealed  positions  of  the  enemy,  revealed 
to  our  gun-boats  and  batteries  by  a  young  Rhode  Islander, 
chief  of  the  signal  station  near  the  camp.  Now  and  then 
our  sharp-shooters  ventured  some,  and  careless  soldiers  fell  a 
prey  to  the  bullets  of  the  enemy's  rifles,  and  they  to  ours. 
It  was  dangerous  sport  for  one  of  the  Union  boys  to  mount 
the  parapets  on  one  of  our  batteries,  dance  about  to  attract 
the  enemy's  fire,  while  our  concealed  marksmen  shot  in  the 
direction  of  the  smoke  that  rose,  he  dropping  at  the  instant 
to  escape  the  bullet  that  flew  at  him.  This  game  was 
engaged  in  with  as  great  zest  as  men  engage  in  hunting 
partridges  or  any  other  sport.  Such  was  the  programme 
from  day  to  day,  and  the  men  moved  about  or  slept  in  their 
quarters  with  as  much  unconcern  as  if  the  enemy  were  not 
thought  of. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  131 

THE    ROUTINE    OF    THE    ELEVENTH. 

The  duty  of  the  Eleventh  at  that  time  was  for  a  part  of 
the  companies  to  proceed,  when  darkness  came  on,  to  some 
of  the  fortifications  near  us,  to  support  a  battery,  sleeping 
on  our  arms  in  the  open  air  until  daylight,  ready  for  any 
emergency.  Another  company  would  be  posted  to  man  the 
rifle-pits.  Four  or  five  companies  on  the  same  night  marched 
off  in  another  direction,  to  work  on  an  entrenchment,  which 
could  not  be  done  in  daylight ;  while  pickets  across  the 
river,  who  abandoned  their  stations  at  day-dawn,  were  ready 
to  warn  us  of  danger.  Beside  this  a  strict  camp  guard  was 
kept.  In  the  absence  of  guard  tents  the  whole  guard  slept 
in  the  open  air  during  the  night,  except  in  case  of  a  storm. 

The  first  picket  duty  of  the  Eleventh  after  our  arrival 
at  Suffolk,  was  by  a  company  of  men  under  the  command 
of  Lieut.  William  Stone.  They  advanced  towards  the 
picket  line  under  rebel  fire,  and,  on  their  return  next  morn 
ing,  they  were  fired  at  several  times.  They  established  the 
picket  line  subsequently  occupied  by  our  forces  while  at 
Suffolk. 

While  in  camp  at  Suffolk  we  enjoyed  many  pleasant 
visits  from  men  of  other  regiments,  boys  of  the  Fourth 
Rhode  Island  being  of  the  number.  Gens.  Ilalleck  and 
Dix  visited  Suffolk  April  21st,  to  examine  the  situation,  and 
a  salute  was  fired  in  their  honor  by  one  of  the  batteries  near 
our  camp. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  Lieut. -Col.  Buffum,  of 
the  Fourth  Rhode  Island,  and  other  officers,  were  present  at 
dress-parade. 

For  a  considerable  time  the  regiment  was  out  two-thirds 
of  the  nights,  and  in  quarters  for  the  remainder.  The  boys 
began  to  improve  their  quarters  with  materials  gathered 


132  HISTORY    OF    THE 

from  the  houses  in  the  vicinity  that  had  been  leveled  to 
allow  a  range  for  our  guns.  In  fact,  they  stockaded  their 
shelter  tents,  four  or  more  clubbing  together,  and  made 
themselves  comfortable  habitations.  A  cold,  drizzling  east 
erly  storm  gave  us  a  disagreeable  experience  after  AVC  had 
been  in  camp  three  da  vs. 

THE    SITUATION THE    ELEVENTH    READY. 

Near  the  close  of  April,  if  one  had  stopped  his  ears  and 
wandered  along  or  near  the  banks  of  the  Nansemond  and 
listened  to  the  hum  of  insects  or  the  singing  of  birds,  and 
then  walked  into  the  camp  of  the  Eleventh  and  observed 
how  the  men  in  camp  busied  themselves,  he  would  hardly 
have  dreamed  of  danger  or  the  foe.  But  had  he  made  a 
short  tour  to  the  north  of  our  camp,  seen  the  long  line  of 
rifle-pits  thrown  up  by  the  Eleventh  on  the  south  and  west 
of  their  camp,  stayed  out  o'  nights  from  dusk  in  the  evening 
until  dawn  in  the  morning  ;  could  he  have  seen  the  heavy 
guns  that  one  after  another  were  put  in  position  in  the  many 
forts  around  us,  and  watched  the  Eleventh  at  work  in  the 
trenches,  and  observed  the  big  pile  of  dirt  a  hundred  or  two 
men  could  throw  up  in  a  few  hours,  remembering  that  night 
after  night  for  weeks  this  was  a  part  of  their  business,  and 
also  of  many  other  regiments,  he  would  begin  to  understand 
without  hearkening  to  the  booming  of  cannon  or  the  pop, 
pop,  popping  of  rifles,  that  extensive  arid  thorough  prepara 
tions  were  making  to  give  Longstreet  or  Hill,  and  as  many 
men  as  they  were  ready  to  lead,  a  terrible  reception.  The 
skirmishers  were  out  every  day.  The  sharp-shooters  were 
constantly  at  work.  On  a  certain  road  to  the  South  Quay 
batteries,  bullets  like  hail  were  constantly  flying,  and  shelling 
was  kept  up  on  our  side  day  and  night. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 
"THE    *  CKOW's    NEST*    AT     SOI  TH    QLAY    BATTERY." 

•k  Come,  Lieutenant,  I  am  going  over  to  South  Quay 
Battery,  this  afternoon  ;  will  you  go  with  me?  I  am  told 
the  rebel  sharpshooters,  from  their  rifle-pits  across  the  river, 
will  pick  off'  any  man  who  shows  himself.  If  you  want  to 
be  shot  at,  now  is  your  chance." 

"  I  will  go  with  you  in  a  few  minutes.  J  intended  to 
have  goifc  yesterday,  but  the  picket  duty  prevented." 

"Well,  the  Colonel  has  sent  for  me,  and  I  will  meet  you 
at  his  quarters  in  half  an  hour." 


"All  right." 


Let  us  follow  the  Captain  and  Lieutenant  in  their  trip 
to  the  battery.  The  South  Quay  Battery  was  a  fortification 
near  the  bridge  over  the  Nansemond  river,  on  the  road  lead 
ing  from  Suffolk  to  South  Quay.  It  was  designed  to  repel 
an  infantry  assault  upon  the  town  from  that  quarter.  But 
when  Longstreet  had  opened  his  light  batteries  upon  it,  on 
his  first  approach  to  Suffolk,  he  weakened  it  in  half  an  hour. 
Had  he  not  been  driven  back  by  our  artillery,  its  embank 
ments  would  soon  have  been  tumbled  down. 

It  had,  however,  been  speedily  strengthened  by  filling  up 
its  ditch  and  repairing  the  breaches  made.  This  work  had 
been  done,  largely  by  the  Eleventh,  only  under  cover  of 
the  darkness.  Two  reliefs  were  sent  to  this  fort  night  after 
night ;  one  relief  working  from  eight  till  twelve,  while  the 
other  relief  slept  upon  the  ground  near  their  stacked  arms 
in  the  rear  of  the  battery  ;  and  changing  places  at  twelve, 
the  second  relief  shovelled  till  four,  when  both  would  with 
draw  beyond  the  reach  of  rebel  guns  before  daylight. 

For  many  days  the  rebel  sharp-shooters  had  been  concealed 
in  their  rifle-pits  on  the  hillside  opposite,  where,  with  their 
telescopic  rifles,  they  were  ready  at  any  hour  of  the  day  to 
12 


134  HISTORY    OF    THE 

pick  off  any  unwary  Union  soldier  who  should  daringly  or 
unwittingly  show  his  head. 

The  Captain  and  the  Lieutenant  inspect  the  fort,  having 
approached  and  entered  it  from  the  rear.  They  examine 
its  "parrots,"  its  "terreplains,"  its  "scarp"  and  "counter 
scarp,"  its  "bastions,"  its  "rampart,"  and  its  "parapet," 
its  "gabions,"  and  its  "fascines."  Finally,  retiring  to  the 
rear  of  the  works,  they  determine  to  climb  to  the  "  crow's 
nest."  This  is  made  of  plank  arid  joists  placed  about 
twenty  or  twenty-five  feet  above  the  ground  in  a  large  oak 
tree.  The  "nest"  is  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  measuring 
about  ten  or  twelve  feet  on  a  side. 

^  Lieutenant,  will  you  go  up  into  the  'crow's  nest'  with 
me  and  examine  the  'rebs'  in  their  rifle-pits?" 

"Yes,  come  on  ;  right  this  way." 

Up  they  go,  hand  over  hand,  along  the  tall  ladder  fast 
ened  by  the  side  of  the  tree,  and  protected  from  view  by  a 
board  set  up  in  front  of  the  ladder.  Soon  they  stand  upon 
the  platform  of  the  "nest,"  with  the  plank  extending  per 
pendicularly  in  front  of  them  to  a  height  above  their  heads, 
except  an  opening  of  a  few  inches  along  the  line  of  the  eyes 
through  which  to  view  the  whole  front. 

"Pirn,"  "pirn,"  sing  the  minie  bullets,  as  they  fly  past 
them,  right  and  left. 

"They  have  discovered  us,"  says  the  Captain.  "That 
they  have,  and  right  early,  too,"  quoth  the  Lieutenant ;  and 
soon  they  are  watching  the  line  of  rifle-pits,  and  dodging 
below  the  sight  line,  as  soon  as  they  discover  a  putt'  of 
smoke  issuing  from  any  point  along  the  line. 

Thus  they  spend  a  half  hour,  when,  the  attention  of  the 
whole  line  being  concentrated  upon  them,  the  time  of  their 
dodging,  the  frequent  puffs,  has  so  increased  that  they  can 
no  longer  examine  with  any  ease  or  success  the  enemy's 
location,  and  the  Captain  proposes  to  withdraw. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  135 

"Too  hot,  altogether,  Lieutenant.  Pursuit  of  knowledge 
under  difficulties.  I  say,  let  us  get  out  of  this." 
"Agreed,  I  am  ready,"  replied  his  companion. 
They  both  prepared  to  descend  the  ladder.  About  half 
way  down,  a  limb  branches  out  from  the  massive  trunk, 
and  breaks  the  continuity  of  the  board  placed  on  the  front 
edge  of  the  ladder.  This  leaves  one  exposed  for  an  instant, 
in  the  upward  or  downward  passage.  The  Captain  has  just 
passed  this  exposed  point,  and  there  is  a  space  of  about  two 
feet  between  his  head  and  the  feet  of  the  Lieutenant,  who  is 
following  him  down  the  ladder,  when,  "Pirn,"  "pirn," 
sing  the  minie  balls  as  they  fly  through  this  little  opening. 
A  moment  more  and  both  officers  are  safely  on  the  ground, 
and  concealed  behind  the  fort,  ready  to  retrace  their  steps  to 
the  camp  of  the  Eleventh  Rhode  Island,  well  satisfied  with 
their  tour  of  inspection. 

Reconnoissances  were  daily  made,  to  ascertain,  it  was 
said,  the  strength  and  position  of  the  enemy,  very  nicely 
hid  from  view  by  a  belt  of  woods  around  us,  though  revealed 
now  and  then  by  a  line  of  rifle-pits  which  he  slyly  threw  up, 
or  perhaps  by  a  battery  which  was  suddenly  revealed  to  us. 
For,  despite  our  constant  shelling,  he  managed  to  cut  down 
the  woods  that  concealed  it. 

We  tried  our  shelter  tents  in  a  cold  rain  storm  of  two  or 
three  days'  duration,  and  fared  better  than  we  feared  ;  for 
we  made  the  rubber  blankets  of  some  of  the  mess  do  the 
duty  of  the  badger  skins  that  covered  the  tabernacle  of  the 
Israelites  in  the  Wilderness. 

The  first  mail  after  leaving  Camp  Metcalf  was  delivered 
to  us  Thursday,  the  23d.  It  arrived  the  night  before.  The 
boys  had  become  impatient  because  of  the  delay,  and  were 
almost  crazy  with  gladness  to  get  it.  It  was  very  large,  of 
course,  and  those  who  did  not  get  one  or  more  letters  or 
papers  were  rare  exceptions. 


136  HISTORY    OF    THE 

Friday,  the  24th  instant,  the  Eleventh  prepared  for  a 
fight.  The  order  came  at  noon.  Every  available  man. 
cooks  included,  was  called  into  line.  Thirty  extra  rounds 
of  cartridges  were  given  to  each  one  to  carry  in  his  pockets. 
The  long  line  of  battle  was  formed,  the  boys  were  in  high 
spirits  and  hot  for  the  fray.  The  band  played  the  "Star 
Spangled  Banner," — but,  no,  we  were  only  waiting.  We 
stacked  arms  as  a  regiment  on  the  parade-ground,  kept  on 
our  equipments  arid  waited  till  darkness  closed  around  us. 

After  supper,  when  the  excitement  had  subsided,  quite  a 
different  scene  presented  itself.  On  the  rising  ground 
between  the  streets  of  Companies  B  and  I,  the  voice  of 
sacred  song  began  to  ascend.  The  circle  extended  and  the 
numbers  increased  until  a  large  number  of  the  men  of  the 
regiment  were  participating  in  a  most  interesting  conference 
and  prayer  meeting  led  by  the  Chaplain.  It  was  a  striking 
and  impressive  sight,  that  will  not  soon  be  forgotten.  A 
host  of  armed  men,  ready  for  the  conflict,  worshipping  God 
and  seeking  Heaven's  blessing  on  themselves  and  theirs. 

•'  They  would  leave  unstained  what  th^re  they  found. 
Freedom  to  worship  God." 

The  cause  of  the  preparation  for  conflict  was  a  reconnois- 
sance  made  on  the  same  day  on  the  Edenton  road,  in  which 
the  rebels  showed  fight,  retreated  and  got  the  worst  of  it,  as 
we  supposed,  though  we  lost  six  men  and  several  wounded. 

DEATH INSPECTION STATISTICS. 

Death  was  not  of  so  frequent  an  occurrence  in  the 
Eleventh  regiment  as  to  produce  a  sense  of  indifference  in 
the  men.  We  note  here  the  death  of  Rennsalaer  Horton,  of 
Company  F,  on  the  23d  instant,  and  his  burial  on  the  26th 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  137 

with  impressive  services.  The  Chaplain  delivered  an  appro 
priate  discourse  from  the  words:  "Man  goeth  to  his  long 
home."  The  remains  were  escorted  to  the  depot  by  Com 
pany  F,  Capt.  Taft,  and  the  usual  military  honors  paid  to  the 
deceased.  His  illness  was  brief,  and  the  first  after  his  enlist 
ment.  His  brother,  a  member  of  Company  B,  obtained  a 
furlough  and  took  the  remains  to  the  distressed  family.  The 
body  was  embalmed  and  conveyed  by  express  to  Pawtucket, 
at  the  expense  (for  the  greater  part)  of  the  officers  and  men 
of  Company  F. 

William  C.  Atwood,  of  Company  C,  died  just  previously 
in  the  hospital  in  Washington.  A  company  inspection  was 
held  at  half-past  twelve  o'clock  on  the  Sabbath,  the  day  of 
the  funeral,  and  general  inspection  at  half-past  two.  We 
were  informed  that  Gen.  Terry  would  be  present,  but  he 
did  not  appear.  In  addition  to  this  there  was  much  grading 
of  streets  and  digging  of  drains.  For  various  reasons  these 
orders  did  not  sit. well  upon  the  men.  They  remembered  a 
proclamation  by  our  Father  Abraham  which  was  read  some 
months  previously  on  Miner's  Hill.  It  ordered  that  all 
unnecessary  work  should  be  suspended  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
it  pleased  the  Eleventh  very  much.  They  felt  that  if 
soldiers  were  oxen  or  horses  they  would  have  a  fair  claim  to 
as  near  absolute  rest  as  possible  on  Sunday. 

The  regiment  comprised  a  large  proportion  of  Yankees 
born,  and  a  large  amount  of  Yankee  ingenuity  had  already 
been  exhibited  by  them,  and  they  "reckoned"  that  they 
could  contrive  some  plan  by  which  seven -eighths  of  the 
Sunday  work  then  required  in  the  army,  which,  by  cutting 
up  the  day,  tended  to  demoralize  men,  could  be  dispensed 
with. 

An  examination  of  the  records  of  the  regiment  made 
early  in  May,  showed  the  following  professions  and  trades 
represented  in  the  Eleventh  : 


138  HISTORY    OF    THE 

Artists,  16;  professions,  1C;  painters,  20;  teachers  and 
students,  57  ;  manufacturers,  120  ;  traders,  23  ;  clerks,  83  : 
laborers,  79  ;  mechanics,  358  ;  miscellaneous,  220.  Native 
born,  778  ;  foreign  born  224.  Married,  483  ;  unmarried, 
519. 

RAIN WATER    OOL'OH DIGNITARIES. 

The  boys  of  the  Eleventh  will  not  pretend  to  an  endurance 
of  hardships  equal  to  those  endured  by  the  bombastic  con 
valescents,  who  seized  every  opportunity  to  give  the  most 
vivid  descriptions  of  their  exposure  to  the  elements,  but. 
while  our  regiment  were  fortunate  in  escaping  the  ill  eifects 
of  many  tremendous  southern  rain  storms,  they  had  a 
thorough  experience  in  sleeping  out  doors  on  the  night  of 
the  29th  of  April,  while  the  rain  poured  down  a  drenching 
flood,  to  a  thunder  and  lightning  accompaniment,  from  even 
ing  until  morning.  It  were  useless  to  describe  the  appear 
ance  of  the  men  or  the  state  of  their  minds  after  the  copious 
hydropathic  administration,  which  the  writer  shared  with  the 
rest,  but  if  the  private  letters  of  the  men  to  their  friends  at 
home,  written  after  this  half-horse,  half-alligator  style  of 
sleeping,  could  be  seen,  they  would  reveal  comico-serious 
pictures  equal  to  anything  of  Thomas  Nast's.  In  military 
phrase,  it  was  called  supporting  batteries  or  manning  rifle- 
pits.  Officers  then  were  no  better  off'  than  privates,  unless 
they  had  more  forethought  or  a  better  quality  of  brains,  for 
the  abundant  rain  made  the  soft  grass  or  muddy  ground  a 
watery  bed  instead  of  a  dry  feathery  one.  Contrivance  was 
worth  more  than  authority.  A  bed  of  boughs  and  a  wise 
disposition  of  rubber  blankets  enabled  some  of  us  to  escape 
the  more  serious  effects  of  the  storm. 

Maj.-Gen.  Dix,   the   commander  of  that  department,    in 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  139 

company  with  Secretary  Sevvard,  visited  the  headquarters  of 
Maj.-Gen.  Peck,  near  our  camp,  April  29th.  A  cavalry 
escort  with  the  brass  band  of  the  Pennsylvania  mounted 
riflemen  accompanied  them.  A  good  many  of  the  privates 
were  fortunate  enough  to  get  a  sight  of  these  two  men,  Dix 
and  Seward,  both  of  whom  have  since  passed  from  their 
earthly  stage  of  action,  leaving  behind  them  a  record  which 
their  country  delights  to  remember.  This  was  the  only 
opportunity  some  of  us  ever  had  of  seeing  Mr.  Seward.  We 
remember  that  the  diminutive  size  of  so  great  a.  man  disap 
pointed  manv. 

MORE      LIGHT    WANTED CONTRABANDS RECONNOISSANCE    OF 

THE    NINETY-NINTH     NEW    YORK. 

Summer  weather  prevailed  early  in  May,  and  the  moon  in 
all  her  glory  gave  us  all  the  light  we  could  get.  Government 
furnished  us  with  candles,  and  for  the  first  time  we  were 
abundantly  supplied.  Privates,  however,  were  not  allowed 
to  burn  candles,  for  fear  that  the  enemy  might  plant  a  bat 
tery  near,  get  the  range  of  the  camp  by  candle-light  and 
shell  the  privates'  tents.  Nature  did  all  she  could  for  us, 
for  on  one  of  our  stormy  nights  we  had  a  wonderful  display 
of  lightning.  It  quite  eclipsed  the  fireworks  usually  shown 
in  Providence  on  the  4th  of  July. 

We  saw  more  of  the  contrabands  in  Suffolk  than  we  had 
seen  before.  The  women  came  into  our  camp  with  pies  and 
biscuit,  gingerbread,  hoe-cake,  and  fish  fried  in  ham  gravy, 
for  sale,  and  the  man  who  did  not  see  them  when  they  first 
hove  in  sight,  stood  a  slim  chance  for  tickling  his  palate 
with  such  delicacies.  These  female  pie  venders  were  young, 
often  funnily  dressed,  black  enough  to  make  darkness  visible, 
with  smiling  and  grinning  faces,  round  and  plump  as  an 
orange,  witli 


140  HISTORY    OF    THE 

"  Eyes  so  bright  they  shine  at  night, 
When  the  moon  am  gone  away.'* 

We  were  mustered  in  for  pay,  Thursday,  the  last  day  of 
April,  by  Col.  Gibbs,  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth 
New  York,  a  regiment  of  our  brigade.  This  exercise  had 
a  new  and  pleasant  feature,  in  that  we  were  not  compelled 
to  appear  in  line  in  heavy  marching  order,  but  the  whole 
was  finished  up  in  the  briefest  possible  period  ;  just  long 
enough  to  march  to  our  Colonel's  quarters  and  answer  to 
our  names.  So  there  were  not  always  as  many  yards  of 
red  tape  at  one  time  as  another. 

A    DISASTROUS    RECOXXOISSANCE. 

One  of  the  sad  events  which  made  a  deep  impression  on 
the  men  of  the  Eleventh  at  the  time,  was  a  reconnoissance 
made  by  the  Ninety-ninth  New  York,  May  1st,  by  order  of 
Maj.-Gen.  Peck,  but  under  the  immediate  command  of  the 
Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  regiment. 

They  crossed  the  Narisemond  on  a  narrow  bridge  in  front 
of  the  South  Quay  Batteries,  which  were  a  mile  or  more 
south  or  southwest  from  our  camp.  Our  force  was  about 
three  hundred  strong.  The  rebel  rifle-pits  were  in  long  rifle 
range  of  our  batteries.  The  two  centre  companies  of  the 
Ninety-ninth,  colors  in  the  centre,  marched  in  a  body  to 
charge  on  the  concealed  foe.  The  companies  on  the  wings 
were  deployed  as  skirmishers.  The  Union  boys  charged  to 
within  twenty  yards  of  the  most  approved  rifle-pits,  with 
abattis  in  front,  and  then  were  compelled  by  the  murdering 
fire  of  the  enemy  to  fall  back  under  orders.  The  color 
bearer  was  shot  dead  in  the  forehead.  Several  others  were 
shot  outright.  Our  batteries  opened  immediately  upon  the 
rebel  defences,  in  which  the  enemy  were  a  thousand  strong, 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  141 

with  how  much  execution  we  could  not  know.  Report  said 
that  the  re-call  was  sounded  four  times  and  our  forces  did 
not  hear,  and  that  then  a  messenger  was  sent  to  them.  The 
Union  dead  and  wounded,  about  fifty  in  all,  were  left  on  the 
field  and  recovered  when  the  darkness  came  on.  Eight  of 
the  brave  fellows  were  buried  the  next  day,  and,  by  request, 
the  band  of  the  Eleventh  rendered  their  services  on  the 
mournful  occasion.  To  the  Rhode  Island  boys  it  seemed 
that,  in  this  case,  "somebody  blundered,"  but  perhaps  they 
were  mistaken. 

The  contrabands  had  a  share  in  the  defence  of  Suffolk. 
"A  large  number  were  employed  on  the  fortifications  at  this 
place.  The  presence  of  this  'southern  shovelry '  materially 
lessened  the  labor  of  our  soldiers." 

HOW    THE    SIE<;E    OF    SUFFOLK    WAS    RAISED. 

Saturday  evening,  the  *2d  of  May,  came,  and  to  those 
unacquainted  with  official  secrets  there  was  every  indication 
of  a  quiet  Sabbath  ;  but  a  few  hours  brought  the  long  roll, 
and  thousands  of  troops  under  arms.  Morning  saw  an 
army  in  motion  for  a  reconnoissance  in  force  across  the  Nan- 
semond,  to  ascertain  the  situation  of  the  enemy  north  of  our 
camp. 

As  soon  as  breakfast  could  be  swallowed,  we  put  into  our 
haversacks  two  days'  rations,  cooked  per  order  the  night 
before,  filled  our  canteens  with  the  purest  spring  water,  took 
seventy  rounds  of  cartridges,  and  our  blankets  only,  formed 
in  due  time  in  line  of  battle,  and  patiently  waited  the  order 
to  march.  Meanwile,  in  plain  sight  of  our  camp,  a  force 
of  cavalry,  artillery,  and  infantry,  equal  to  a  large  army  in 
Revolutionary  times,  moved  past  Maj.-Gen.  Peck's  head 
quarters  and  crossed  the  bridge  just  to  the  north  of  us.  The 


142  HISTORY    OF    THE 

advance,  the  One  Hundred  and  Third  New  York,  led  by 
Col.  Ringgold,  deployed  as  skirmishers,  and  proceeded  up  a 
long  incline  and  into  the  woods.  Other  regiments  moved  in 
the  same  direction.  We  saw  the  smoke  of  battle,  heard  the 
roar  of  artillery  and  the  rattle  of  musketry  from  morning 
until  night  ;  we  saw  the  ambulances  returning  with  the 
wounded,  and  some  of  the  Eleventh  were  on  guard  at  the 
hospitals,  and  prepared  the  mortally,  horribly  wounded  for 
their  last  long  sleep.  Our  surgeons  and  chaplain  assisted 
in  the  care  of  the  wounded  and  dying.  Col.  Ringgold,  on 
foot,  and  far  ahead  of  the  brave  One  Hundred  and  Third, 
whom  he  led,  was  killed,  and  a  number  of  other  officers  of 
lesser  rank.  Our  killed  and  wounded,  at  all  points,  amounted 
to  one  hundred  or  more. 

The  Eleventh  stood  in  line  of  battle  under  a  broiling  sun 
all  day,  momentarily  expecting  the  order  to  move.  But  we 
were  in  the  reserves,  and  as  evening  drew  nigh  began  to 
think  that  our  turn  would  not  come.  Suddenly,  at  seven 
o'clock,  an  order  arrived,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  long- 
line  was  moving  towards  the  bridge.  We  counter-marched 
in  passing  off  the  camp-ground,  and  as  the  head  of  the 
column  passed  each  company,  words  of  cheer  urged  the 
comrades  on.  So  unexpected  was  the  order  that  our  Colonel 
and  Major  were  absent  on  business,  and  Lieut. -Col.  Pitman 
took  command.  As  he  rode  along  the  line  with  a  straw  hat 
on  his  head  and  a  pipe  in  his  mouth,  loud  and  prolonged 
cheers  told  him  plainly  that  the  boys  would  stand  by  him. 
Col.  Church  met  us  at  Gen.  Peck's  headquarters,  and, 
instead  of  being  marched  across  the  river,  we  filed  to  the 
left,  were  posted  in  the  rifle-pits  near  its  banks,  and  slept 
on  our  arms  during  the  night.  Thus  our  third  chance  of 
getting  at  the  rebels  was  dissipated. 

We   believe   that  the  general    in    command    expected    to 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 

renew  the  engagement  the  next  morning ;  but  the  rebel  birds 
had  flown  and  were  moving  hurriedly  towards  the  Black- 
water  river.  Five  hundred,  or  perhaps  more,  rebels  came 
in  and  gave  themselves  up  as  prisoners.  Many  of  them 
requested  not  to  be  paroled.  It  was  the  opinion  of  some 
that  the  rebels  began  to  move  on  the  Saturday  previous,  and 
that  a  heavy  force  pushed  forward  would  have  saved  life 
and  been  productive  of  far  more  glorious  results.  The 
rebels  dropped  letters  on  the  way,  inviting  us  to  meet  them 
on  the  Blackwater.  Brig. -Gen.  Corcoran,  with  a  consider 
able  force,  was  up  and  after  them  next  morning,  but  did  not 
catch  them.  Among  the  fortifications  evacuated  was,  in  the 
estimation  of  military  men,  one  superior  earthwork.  A 
letter  from  Gen.  Hill  to  Gen.  Longstreet  was  left  behind 
announcing  his  arrival  at  a  certain  point,  and  placing  his 
command  at  the  disposal  of  the  latter. 

All  was  quiet  on  the  Nansemond  Monday,  the  4th  of 
May.  The  sound  of  cannon,  the  screeching  of  shells,  the 
constant  crack  of  the  rifles  of  sharp-shooters,  and  the 
musketry  of  infantry  ceased  and  we  rested  quietly  in  our 
camp. 

AX    ILLUMINATION. 

As  darkness  drew  on  there  was  an  unlooked  for  change  in 
the  programme.  The  Sergeant  Major  went  round  and  gave 
notice  that  lights  would  be  permitted  in  our  quarters.  In 
his  gush  of  feeling  at  so  unexpected  a  privilege,  one  man 
lighted  his  candle  and  set  it  on  the  ground  in  front  of  his 
tent ;  a  few  men  of  Company  F  brought  theirs  out  of  doors  ; 
Company  A  followed ;  the  infection  spread,  and  the  lights 
began  to  appear  upon  the  peaks  of  the  tents.  Moonlight 
was  deferred  by  cloudiness  and  the  regular  order,  until 


144  HISTORY    OF    THE 

after  tattoo.  The  air  was  still,  and  hundreds  of  lights  were 
now  to  be  seen.  Then  a  procession  of  two  hundred  or 
more,  with  lighted  candles,  was  formed  and  marched  round 
the  camp,  cheered,  and  cheering  on  their  wav. 

The  lights  still  remained  upon  the  tents,  some  in  long 
rows  of  fifteen  to  forty  each,  some  in  the  form  of  crosses  or 
of  signal  lights.  The  illumination  became  still  more  gen 
eral,  the  whole  camp  was  aroused  and  in  one  blaze  of  light. 
The  brass  band  was  now  called  for,  and  were  constrained  to 
come  out.  The  platoons  of  lights  increased  in  number  and 
soon  moved  out  on  to  the  parade.  "By  companies  into 
line  ! '  And  the  great  procession  took  up  its  line  of  march 
to  the  Colonel's  quarters,  headed  by  the  band,  and  counter 
marched  in  the  field  officers'  street,  the  band  discoursing  its 
finest  music.  On  passing  the  street  of  Company  I,  a  color 
bearer  marched  out  bearing  an  illuminated  cross  high  in  the 
air,  in  the  rear  of  the  band.  While  at  the  officers'  quarters 
the  boys,  surrounded  by  an  enthusiastic  crowd  of  spectators, 
officers  and  men,  ventilated  themselves  by  cheering  for 
whomsoever  they  pleased,  shouting  out  all  the  orders  they 
had  ever  heard,  and  making  some  of  the  sharpest  and  keen 
est  hits  imaginable. 

When  the  men,  tired,  while  the  band  were  playing, 
"4  Order  arms  "  was  the  word,  and  the  candles  rested  upon 
the  ground  ;  "  Parade  rest,"  and  the  action  was  suited  to 
the  words  ;  "Forward,"  and  the  camp  was  encompassed 
once  more,  the  companies  filing  into  their  streets  as  the 
column  marched  past  them,  tattoo  sounded  and  the  game 
played  out. 

This  was  a  fitting  conclusion  to  the  success  of  our  arms, 
and  the  cheering  news  that  came  to  us  from  all  quarters. 
It  was  brilliant  beyond  description  and  wholly  impromptu. 
It  could  not  have  happened  had  we  not  been  deprived  of 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  145 

candle-light  for  so  long  a  period.  In  the  language  of 
another:  "The  men  were  determined  to  have  their  full 
amount  of  light,  even  if  it  could  not  be  distributed  to  their 
liking."  The  display  was  received  with  pleasure  at  Gen. 
Peck's  headquarters,  it  waked  up  the  whole  town  of 
Suffolk  and  the  numerous  camps  in  our  vicinity.  To  quote 
''J.  B.  G. "  :  "The  illumination  was  witnessed  by  a  large 
multitude  in  town,  and  pronounced  a  most  enchanting  enter 
tainment."  "  After  taps  had  sounded  and  the  camp  was  as 
still  and  as  dark  as  on  former  evenings,  about  ten  o'clock  a 
party  of  singers  assembled  in  front  of  Col.  Church's  tent, 
and  gave  a  most  entertaining  serenade.  Thus  passed  one  of 
the  most  pleasant  evenings  since  we  left  the  friends  at  home, 
and  the  men  are  all  the  better  prepared  to  endure  the 
fatigues  of  a  march  if  called  to  it,  because  of  the  invigorat 
ing  effect  of  such  an  entertainment  upon  their  spirits.'' 

The  same  correspondent  adds  :  k'  The  religious  element  in 
our  regiment  is  improving,  and  ten  or  fifteen  young  men 
have  manifested  a  deep  interest  in  reference  to  their  spiritual 
welfare,  and  nearly  every  day  there  are  new  cases  of  inquiry 
for  the  ways  of  wisdom." 

The  morning  after  the  illumination  the  majority  of  the 
men  in  the  regiment  bathed  in  the  Nansemond,  where  but  a 
few  days  before  the  bullets  of  the  enemy  would  have  been 
whistling  around  them. 

Another  presentation  came  off  on  the  same  evening. 
Orderly  Crocker  presented  to  our  new  sergeant  major, 
Charles  H.  Scott,  a  very  fine  sword,  in  behalf  of  the  officers 
and  men  of  Company  B.  It  was  a  well-timed  gift,  most 
worthily  bestowed. 

13 


146  HISTORY    OF    THE 

REBEL    RIFLE-PITS REBEL    RELICS    AND    SECESH    PEOPLE. 

Fatigue  duty  was  not  abandoned  after  the  departure  of 
the  rebels,  but  we  worked  by  an  inverse  process,  on  the 
rebel  rifle-pits  instead  of  our  own.  Details  were  made  from 
our  ranks  to  level  the  breast- works  and  rifle-pits  across  the 
Nansemond,  the  farthest  being  about  five  miles  from  camp. 
At  first  the  work  had  its  attractions  because  it  would  gratify 
our  curiosity  about  many  things. 

With  such  ideas,  on  an  unpleasant  day  the  boys  started 
out  in  good  spirits,  on  the  South  Quay  road  four  or  five 
miles,  and  worked  in  half-hour  reliefs  patiently  till  night, 
filling  rebel  intrenchments  in  a  stiff,  clayey  soil  that  stuck 
like  glue  to  the  shovel,  and  convinced  the  boys  that  it  was 
tough  work.  Meanwhile,  though  the  party  were  outside 
our  cavalry  pickets,  those  who  were  resting  scoured  the 
woods  and  plantations  about,  to  see  what  could  be  seen  and 
appropriate  what  they  liked.  Pieces  of  newspapers,  Rich 
mond  papers  as  late  as  May  1st,  religious  papers  from  all 
parts  of  the  south,  religious  tracts,  rebel  songs,  camp  uten 
sils  of  all  kinds,  letters  on  various  subjects,  Confederate 
money  and  postage  stamps.  Almost  every  one  succeeded  in 
securing  some  kind  of  a  trophy. 

Most  of  the  letters  were  poor  specimens  of  spelling  and 
penmanship.  Some  of  them  breathed  an  ignorant  and 
wicked  spirit  against  us  innocent  Yankees.  The  majority, 
perhaps,  of  these  letters,  were  pervaded  by  a  strong  religious 
tone,  especially  to  sons  and  brothers  in  the  army..  There 
was  one  tender  epistle,  well  written,  properly  spelled,  quite 
long,  bearing  all  the  marks  of  an  educated  mind,  influenced, 
however,  by  emotions  that  were  not  meant  to  be  made  pub 
lic.  A  verse  of  poetry,  the  poorest  part  of  the  letter  in  a 
literary  sense,  we  quote  : 


ELEVENTH    KEGIMEXT.  147 

"  CONSTANCY. 
"The  sun  may  her  bright  beams  withhold,  Jemmie, 

Unreflected  the  moonbeams  may  be; 
But  not  till  this  bosom  be  cold,  Jemmie, 
Shall  its  pulse  throb  for  any  but  thee." 

Some  of  the  comrades  found  a  different  attraction  in  the 
live-stock,  principally  pigs  and  hogs,  that  ran  at  large  in  the 
woods.  The  cracking  of  rifles  told  how  much  they  appre 
ciated  such  fun.  The  bayonet  and  knife  also  were  brought 
into  play,  and  sundry  pigs  and  sundry  pieces  by  night  made 
a  tour  to  our  camp.  This  was  all  unlawful,  as  the  sequel 
proved,  but  it  was  none  the  less  true. 

PEOPLE    WE    MET. 

The  few  people  that  we  met  were  secesh  of  the  bitterest 
stamp  ;  but  the  boys  reported  one  farm-house  with  seven 
good-looking,  refined  and  intelligent  young  ladies,  and  three 
younger  brothers  at  home,  with  the  farm-house  and  all  the 
surroundings  in  the  neatest  possible  style  ;  better  than  any 
thing  they  had  seen  in  Virginia.  They  tried  to  obtain  meals 
there,  but  their  servants  had  all  left  them.  They  could  not 
cook  themselves.  They  were  doing  their  own  work  to  the 
best  of  their  ability.  Other  families  were  visited,  but  this 
was  a  rare  specimen.  Contrabands  were  scarce  ;  some  of 
them  had  been  carried  off  by  the  rebels  ;  others  had  carried 
themselves  off. 

"A.  D.  N."  gives  the  following,  which  is  too  good  to  be 
omitted : 

"Notwithstanding  the  oft-repeated  assertion  that  there  was  no 
Union  sentiment  at  the  South,  I  met  an  unconditional  Union  man 
on  Sunday  last,  while  on  picket  dijty  011  the  Norfolk  and  Petersburg 
railroad.  He  was  about  fifty  years  old.  In  answer  to  the  inquiry 
if  he  was  a  Union  man,  he  made  the  following  reply:  '  I  was  born 


148  IIISTOHY    OF    THE 

in  the  Union;  I  have  always  lived  in  the  Union;  I  have  always 
loved  the  old  Union;  I  have  always  voted  for  the  Union,  and  when 
I  die,  whether  I  goto  hell  or  heaven,  I  shall  stick  by  the  old  Union! ' 
I  put  him  down  as  an  unconditional  Union  man,  at  the  same  time 
handing  him  a  copy  of  a  certain  New  York  daily,  which  I  chanced 
to  have  in  my  pocket. 

"  As  an  offset  to  the  above,  allow  me  to  relate  an  incident  which 
occurred  on  the  morning  after  our  arrival  in  Suffolk.  After  we 
landed,  we  were  drawn  up  in  line  on  the  sidewalk  of  the  principal 
street,  where  we  halted  a  short  time.  I  sat  down  to  rest  a  few  min 
utes  on  the  doorstep  of  a  private  residence.  Presently  an  elderly 
lady,  attracted  by  the  noise  in  the  street,  appeared  at  the  door  and 
inquired  where  our  regiment  was  from.  I  told  her  that  we  were 
from  Rhode  Island.  '  Rhode  Island,'  she  repeated,  '  where's  that? 
in  North  Carolina?  '  I  told  her  it  joined  Massachusetts.  She  then 
inquired  what  we  came  out  there  for.  I  told  her  we  came  to  fight 
for  the  Union.  '  They  say  you've  come  to  fight  for  the  niggers,' 
said  she,  '  and  if  I  were  a  man  I  would  resist  to  the  death  before  I 
would  do  it!'  The  order  came  to  fall  in  and  I  left  the  old  lady 
soliloquizing  upon  the  causes  which  led  to  this  wicked  war,  and  its 
probable  result  to  both  North  and  South.  Whether  she  was  igno 
rant  of  the  geographical  position  of  Rhode  Island,  or  had  con 
founded  it  with  Roanoke  Island,  your  readers  can  judge  for 
themselves." 


— 'TAMP  PERRY"  PH 

Speculations  were  rife  at  that  time  as  to  when  the  rebel 
army  evacuated  their  intrenchments  across  the  Nansemond, 
and  as  to  whether  there  were  more  than  a  handful  of  rebels 
opposed  to  us  for  at  least  a  week  before  they  finally  left  our 
immediate  front  ;  but  these  inquiries  are  of  little  account 
now. 

Our  routine  of  duty  from  May  Oth,  and  forward,  was  drill 
in  the  "•  manual"  twice  a  day  ;  an  hour  and  three-quarters 
in  all,  beside  frequent  drillings  in  ''dressing"  at  dress- 
parade.  To  this  must  be  added  shovelling,  picket  and  guard 
duty,  and  sleeping  out  nights,  to  support  batteries. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMEXT.  149 

There  were  some  noteworthy  special  orders  at  dress- 
parade,  Saturday,  the  9th  of  May.  The  camp  which  we 
had  occupied  for  nearly  a  month  was,  by  an  order  from  our 
Colonel,  named  "Camp  Perry."  An  order  from  Maj. -Gen. 
Peck,  commanding,  gave  thanks  to  Divine  Providence  for 
the  success  of  our  forces  in  silencing  a  heavy  battery  on  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  Nansemond  some  distance  below  our 
camp. 

Another  order  from  the  same  source,  rendered  thanks  to 
the  Almighty  for  our  success  in  compelling  the  enemy  to 
raise  the  siege  of  Suffolk. 

The  Sunday  following  was  made  memorable  to  us  by  the 
march  of  four  hundred  men  of  the  Eleventh  five  or  six 
miles  out,  to  level  half  a  mile  of  rebel  breastworks.  The 
morning  was  glorious,  the  day  fine,  the  sun  very  hot.  The 
men  worked  with  spirit,  and  accomplished  much  more  than 
was  expected  of  them.  They  returned  to  camp  about  half- 
past  seven  in  the  evening,  to  learn  that  had  they  not  engaged 
in  that  Sunday  expedition,  they  would  have  passed  through 
a  brigade  inspection  and  review.  They  were  greatly  pleased 
with  the  country,  with  the  peculiar  style  of  the  negro 
houses,*  fences  and  walls,  and  with  the  large  growth  of  the 
magnificent  and  valuable  pine  timber. 

During  that  interesting  period  we  were  highly  amused, 
instructed  and  admonished  by  the  reading  of  an  order,  in 
our  Adjutant's  most  impressive  style,  recounting  the  pro 
ceedings  of  a  court  martial  at  which  a  number  of  men  of 
the  Eleventh  were  arraigned  for  shooting  or  killing  a  "pig 
or  pigs,  hog  or  hogs,"  belonging  to  Knight,  Ballard,  or 
person  or  persons  unknown,  on  a  certain  day  when  ordered 

*  Many  of  the  negro  houses  were  built  of  split  pine,  thin  and  larger  than  our 
clapboards,  and  the  style  of  the  exterior  of  some  of  them  would  be  creditable 
to  a  summer  resort  like  Martha's  Vinevard. 


150  1IIST01JY    OF    THH 

to  do  fatigue  duty,  some  live  miles  or  so  from  camp,  and 
appropriating  some  piece  or  pieces  of  pig  or  pigs,  hog  or 
hogs  to  their  own  use.  The  offenders  were  sentenced  to  do 
three  days'  police  duty  around  camp.  The  character  of  the 
composition  has  been  called  by  one  writer  "Piggerel."  We 
give  it  in  the  original  in  order  that  it  may  be  fully  appre 
ciated. 

We  rejoiced  in  a  new  regimental  flag,  raised  Thursday 
morning,  May  14th,  in  front  of  our  Colonel's  quarters,  by 
the  hands  of  Gen.  Terry,  commander  of  our  brigade.  The 
band  played  the  •"  Star  Spangled  Banner,"  •'  Yankee  Doo 
dle,"  and  other  airs. 

Madame  rumor  informed  us  that  the  night  before,  our 
cavalry  pickets  were  alarmed  by  a  great  noise  in  a  church 
near  our  lines,  and  called  for  help,  supposing  that  the  rebels 
had  entered  it.  It  turned  out  that  a  "  pig  or  pigs,  hog  or 
hogs  "  was  raising  a  rumpus  inside.  Skirmishing  continued 
on  the  line  of  the  Blackwater. 

IN    THE    FIELD — THE    DESERTED    HOUSE. 

Orders  to  be  ready  to  march  in  an  hour  were  received  as 
early  as  one  o'clock  Saturday  morning,  the  16th  of  May. 
The  cooks  were  routed  out,  rations  were  prepared,  compa 
nies  supporting  batteries  were  called  in,  a  portion  of  our 
pickets  likewise,  an  early  breakfast  was  devoured,  blankets 
and  rations  only  were  taken,  a  small  guard  and  those  unable 
to  inarch  were  left  behind,  and  at  five  o'clock  on  a  bright 
sunny  morning,  we  were  off  for  an  unknown  destination. 
All  this  was  done  with  the  remarkable  promptness  and 
cheerfulness  of  spirit  which  characterized  the  regiment, 
Company  A  claiming  to  be  first  in  line.  It  was  guessed 
that  we  were  to  follow  a  strong  force  that  had  alreadv 


ELKVKXTII     1JEGIMEXT.  151 

moved  in  the  direction  of  the  Black  water,  and  the  event 
proved  the  calculation  correct. 

The  route  was  pleasant  and  the  road  not  a  hard  one  to 
travel.  We  rested  and  prepared  to  encamp  at  nine  o'clock. 
We  were  not,  therefore,  affected  by  the  intense  rays  of  the 
sun.  Now  and  then  we  passed  a  good  looking  house  or  a 
patch  of  cultivated  land.  The  pleasant  perfume  of  locust 
trees  regaled  us  at  one  spot,  and  the  great  quantity  of  woods 
on  either  side  of  our  way  afforded  frequent  and  often  con 
tinuous  shade.  The  principal  feature  in  our  march  of  nine 
miles  in  a  little  more  than  three  hours  and  a  half,  was  the 
ease  and  spirit  with  which  it  was  made.  Officers  and  men 
gave  praise  to  Col.  Church  for  his  considerate  care  and 
judicious  orders.  Halts  sufficiently  frequent  were  made  in 
shady  localities.  Straggling  was  unknown,  and  when  our 
final  halt  was  made,  the  men  were  in  splendid  condition  and 
astonished  at  the  result. 

The  Twenty-sixth  Michigan  had  the  start  of  us,  but 
reached  the  place  about  the  same  time  with  ourselves,  halt 
ing  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road.  The  Ninety-ninth 
New  York  and  Nineteenth  Michigan  halted  near  us,  but 
'moved  farther  on  in  the  afternoon. 

The  main  force  of  about  fifteen  thousand  infantry,  cavalry 
and  artillery,  were  at  Carsville,  nine  miles  beyond,  and  had 
had  more  or  less  skirmishing  with  the  enemy. 

We  encamped  on  a  spot  of  historic  interest.  Those  best 
posted  in  the  regiment  were  at  once  aware  that  the  most 
striking  scenes  in  Mrs.  Stowe's  "  Dred  "  were  laid  in  that 
locality,  and  those  familiar  with  her  narrative  could  point  to 
the  places  of  meeting  in  the  direction  of  the  Dismal  Swamp, 
and  the  stronghold  where  Dred  and  his  trusty  black  war 
riors  were  concealed. 

Our  camping-ground  was  also  in  the   region   of  Nat  Tur- 


152  HISTORY    OF    THE 

ner's  famous  insurrection,  thirty  years  or  more  previous, 
and  it  is  believed  that  in  the  large  opening  in  those  splendid 
pine  forests,  the  planters  met  to  devise  means  to  crush  the 
unwarranted  uprising  ;  and  that  on  a  gigantic  butternut  near 
by,  the  negro  rebels  were  hung.  Further,  that  the  largo 
house  now  in  ruins  at  the  forks  of  the  road,  just  northwest 
of  our  camp,  finally  became  deserted  because  the  dark 
spirits  of  these  unlucky  insurrectionists  came  nightly  to 
haunt  it.  The  people  about  us  partly  confirmed  these 
accounts,  but  none  of  them  seemed  to  know  how  far  it  was 
to  any  given  point  on  our  route,  nor  had  they  ever  heard  of 
President  Lincoln's  emancipation  proclamation. 

That  wonderful  conspiracy,  planned  by  a  black  mind, 
almost  set  negrodom  in  a  blaze.  It  ended  in  hanging  a 
great  many  negroes,  and  it  waked  up  the  whole  State  of 
Virginia  ;  for  the  legislature  of  that  State  took  it  up  ;  the 
horrors  and  dangers  of  slavery  were  fully  discussed,  and 
only  four  votes  were  lacking  to  carry  an  act  of  emancipation. 
It  was  one  of  those  chances  that  Heaven  gives  a  nation  to 
escape  thunderbolts  long  held  in  store  and  enjoy  long  years 
of  unparalleled  prosperity  ;  but  it  was  neglected  ;  a  blacker 
darkness  succeeded,  and  the  change  and  desolation  which, 
during  the  war,  swept  over  Virginia  and  her  sister  states, 
could  only  be  understood  by  an  eye-witness. 

One  other  event  made  that  ground  historic.  On  the  pre 
vious  30th  of  December,  Gen.  Roger  A.  Pryor,  who  once 
challenged  Potter,  of  Ohio,  and  was  afraid  to  fight  him 
with  the  bowie-knife,  met  our  forces  under  Gen.  Corcoran, 
received  a  severe  drubbing  and  skedaddled  to  the  Black- 
water:  The  dead  horses  and  amputated  trees  gave  undoubted 
evidence  that  a  real  battle  was  fought  on  this  plain  and  in 
these  woods. 


ELEVEXTII    REGIMENT.  153 

THE    NEW    CAMP VARIETY. 

A  brief  rest  was  taken  after  our  arrival,  and  then  men 
and  officers  busied  themselves  in  constructing  comfortable 
quarters.  The  messes  in  the  various  companies  looked  out 
for  themselves,  and  the  woods  near  by  were  laid  under  con 
tribution  for  poles  and  boughs  to  construct  booths.  Our 
blankets  made  an  inviting  shade  by  day,  and  shelter  from  the 
rain  and  dew  at  night.  The  result  was  a  great  number  of 
the  oddest  and  most  fantastic  habitations  that  could  be 
imagined.  Many  turned  their  blankets  into  hammocks  and 
swung  them  from  the  trees. 

The  next  move  was  to  scour  the  country  and  gratify  curi 
osity,  for  in  this  the  Rhode  Island  boys  stood  A  1.  Mounted 
riflemen  had  preceded  us  and  set  fire  to  all  the  uninhabited 
dwellings  in  the  vicinity,  per  order  of  their  superiors,  and 
some  nice  houses  were  levelled  without  mercy  because  they 
afforded  shelter  for  rebel  bushwhackers.  At  such  places 
and  at  a  few  farm-houses  not  deserted,  the  boys  gathered 
flowers  of  many  kinds  and  also  some  cotton,  for  it  was  the 
custom  of  these  people  to  raise  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
pounds  yearly  for  family  use.  The  men  also  obtained  some 
thing  to  eat,  and  gathered  what  information  Yankee  ques 
tioning  could  draw  out,  which  was  "  right  smart,  we 
reckon." 

All  things  went  smoothly  through  the  day.  It  was  the 
most  novel  life  the  regiment  had  led  and  was  greatly  enjoyed. 
The  Colonel,  staff  and  line  officers  had  the  same  luxurious 
beds  and  shelter,  the  same  inviting  fare  of  hard-tack  and 
salt  beef,  with  a  cup  of  coffee  with  or  without  sugar,  as  the 
men  had  been  frugal  or  otherwise,  by  way  of  variety. 
Evening  brought  a  large  amount  of  good  singing  which 
pleased  the  Colonel  at  first,  but  which  he  put  his  veto  on 


154  HISTORY    OF    THE 

when  it  trenched  upon  his  hours  of  sleep.  Midnight — 
bang  !  "  Turn  out !  "  and  in  five  minutes  the  Eleventh  had 
left  their  beds  and  were  ready  to  meet  the  enemy  ;  but  as 
it  was  a  false  alarm,  the  Colonel  proposed  that  we  go  back 
to  bed  and  sleep  until  morning,  and  it  was  done. 

SUNDAY WHITE    TRASH SERENADE    TO    GEN.    CORCORAN. 

The  Sabbath  was  a  quiet  day,  very  much  like  Sunday 
without  religious  services.  The  Chaplain  was  absent  most 
of  the  time,  and  except  one  or  two  small  gatherings  for 
Bible  study  holden  in  the  woods,  it  was  simply  a  day  of 
abstinence  from  drill,  inspection,  review,  etc.,  though  we 
had  a  dress-parade,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Michiganders  near 
us,  we  believe,  and  obtained  much  credit  therefor. 

To  vary  the  monotony,  several  specimens  of  the  poor 
white  trash  came  into  our  camp  at  the  Deserted  House,  and 
one  deserter  from  the  rebels.  From  the  testimony  of  one  of 
the  poor  whites  it  appeared  that  the  planters  could  let  their 
negro  men  out  in  North  Carolina  to  make  tar,  for  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  dollars  per  year,  while  in  that  region  white 
help  like  himself,  and  he  looked  pretty  well,  could  be 
obtained  for  fifty  dollars  a  year.  He  seemed  to  rank  him 
self  beneath  the  black  man. 

For  further  variety,  as  there  was  abundant  room,  we 
were  treated  Monday,  the  18th,  to  battalion  drill,  and  as  it  was 
understood  that  our  service  in  that  region  would  continue 
some  days  longer,  we  received  three  days'  extra  rations.  A 
part  of  these  were  baked  beans  ;  excellent  in  some  compa 
nies,  while  in  others,  by  some  mischance  or  exposure  to  the 
hot  weather,  they  were  no  better  to  the  men  than  sour 
grapes.  Picket  duty  was  performed  for  a  number  of  days 
in  succession  by  Companies  C  and  E.  "A  platoon  of  Com- 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  155 

pany  E  were  ordered  to  proceed  some  six  or  seven  miles  dis 
tant  to  a  point  on  the  Weldon  railroad,  and  hold  possession 
until  relieved.  They  remained  there  two  days." 

The  object  of  the  expedition,  now  apparent  to  every  one, 
was  to  remove  the  rails  from  the  track  of  the  Seaboard  and 
Roanoke  Railroad  from  Carsville,  near  the  Blackwater  river, 
to  Suffolk.  To  accomplish  this  a  large  force  of  contrabands 
was  sent  out  to  do  the  work,  and  a  strong  military  force,  of 
which  we  were  a  part,  to  protect  them.  The  sequel  will 
show  what  was  done. 

Up  to  the  time  of  Gen.  Corcoran 's  arrival  all  the  forces 
were  under  the  command  of  Colonel,  acting  Brigadier,  Fos 
ter.  There  were,  as  reported,  six  or  seven  brigadiers  in 
Suffolk,  none  of  whom  had  then  appeared  to  take  command. 
A  number  of  the  colonels  acted  as  brigadiers. 

Gen.  Corcoran  having  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  19th, 
was  serenaded  by  the  band  of  the  Eleventh,  and  with  vocal 
music  by  our  officers.  His  headquarters  were  with  us  dur 
ing  the  night.  In  the  following  morning  all  the  regiments 
about  us,  our  own  included,  turned  out  early  under  arms, 
in  anticipation  of  an  attack,  and  remained  so  until  sunrise. 

REPORTED    DISASTER    TO    THE    ELEVENTH FALSE    ALARM    AND 

MARCH    TO    WINDSOR. 

The  New  York  Herald  of  the  22d  of  May,  published  a 
ridiculous  account  that  created  no  little  consternation  among 
the  friends  at  home,  stating  that  the  Eleventh  had  an  engage 
ment  with  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-second  New  York, 
and  that  several  of  our  men  were  killed  or  wonnded.  As 
stated  at  the  time,  we  had  no  such  engagement  and  made  no 
such  foolish  mistake.  Information  first  came  to  our  camp 
that  the  Tenth  New  Jersey  and  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixty- 


15()  HISTORY    OF    THE 

ninth  and  One  Hundred  and  Seventieth  New  York  were 
falling  back  to  the  Deserted  House  and  were  attacked  by 
guerillas,  losing  one  killed  and  six  wounded.  We  will  let 
"J.  B.  G."  tell  the  story:  "The  truth  is,  that  on  the 
night  of  the  19th.  the  One  Hundred  and  Seventieth  New 
York  met  the  Tenth  New  Jersey,  and  in  some  inexcusable 
way  they  mistook  each  other  for  rebels.  Most  of  the  injury 
done  was  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Seventieth,  and  chiefly 
by  their  own  men.  Could  you  have  seen  the  officers  of  that 
regiment  as  they  reeled  about  the  next  morning  and  through 
the  day,  you  would  say,  as  is  often  the  case  in  our  disasters, 
-whiskey  did  it.'  " 

Another  account  says:  "Several  of  the  killed  and 
wounded  were  brought  into  camp  at  the  Deserted  House." 

Still  another  says:  "It  appears  that  the  horse  of  the 
Colonel  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Seventieth  New  York 
threw  his  rider  because  he  was  unable  to  stay  o/i,  and  ran  in 
the  dark  among  the  Tenth  New  Jersey.  They  fired,  and 
the  One  Hundred  and  Seventieth  returned  the  fire,  and  the 
Tenth  suffered  in  one  killed  and  six  wounded." 

Another  false  alarm  occurred  on  the  20th  instant,  occa 
sioned  by  Col.  Wardrop,  a  cavalry  officer,  and  orderlies  rid 
ing  swiftly  up  to  the  Colonel's  quarters  and  ordering  the 
men  to  fall  in,  for  the  rebels  were  upon  us  ;  but  not  a  rebel 
appeared.  The  mistake  arose  from  the  idea  that  a  regiment 
of  the  enemy,  instead  of  one  of  our  own.  was  moving 
towards  Suffolk. 

*  The  writer  saw  next  day  a  musket  in  the  New  York  regiment  which  had 
been  struck  by  a  bullet  from  the  New  Jersey  regiment.  It  was  hit  square 
against  the  band,  the  bullet  penetrating  so  far  as  to  make  an  opening  through 
both  sides  of  the  barrel.  The  ball  was  left  embedded  in  the  barrel  and  showed 
from  both  sides. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  157 

ON    THE    MARCH WINDSOR. 

An  order  to  inarch  was  received  the  same  day,  and  soon 
after  six  o'clock  the  whole  force  of  infantry,  cavalry  and 
artillery  were  in  motion  across  the  country,  and  after  a 
tramp  of  about  six  miles  by  twilight,  young  moonlight  and 
darkness,  the  Eleventh  crossed  the  rails  of  the  Petersburg 
Railroad,  and  rested  a  mile  south  of  Windsor  station.  Dust 
was  prevalent  on  the  road,  and  heavy  pine  forests  lined 
either  side  of  our  way. 

Our  immediate  neighbors  were  the  One  Hundred  and 
Sixty-seventh  Pennsylvania  and  the  Nineteenth  Wisconsin. 
The  latter  regiment  were  somewhat  notorious  for  living  on 
the  enemy.  Sheep  and  hogs  furnished  them  with  meat. 
They  found  plenty  of  corn,  and  in  two  instances,  ground 
many  bushels  of  meal  in  mills  which  they  discovered  and 
ran  themselves. 

Guerillas  or  bushwhackers  were  said  to  frequent  the  route 
of  our  march,  to  play  the  farmer  by  day  and  to  murder  by 
night.  Report  said  that  one  of  them  was  caught  by  the 
regiment  just  mentioned  and  shot  without  ceremony.  It 
was  also  said  that  a  couple  of  companies  of  Pennsylvania 
mounted  riflemen,  a  part  of  our  force,  ventured  too  far  and 
lost  a  few  men. 

We  encamped  near  Windsor  in  a  spot  similar  to  the  one 
we  had  just  left,  a  large  circular  opening  in  the  woods.  It 
differed,  in  being  divided  by  a  straight  railroad  track,  with 
the  heaviest  rail  and  best  built  road  we  had  ever  seen. 
Government  made  a  handsome  thing  in  tearing  up,  and  sav 
ing  for  use,  so  many  miles  of  such  a  track.  The  boys  soon 
transformed  the  barren  cotton  field  into  a  comfortable  dwell 
ing  place.  Innumerable  booths,  in  every  variety  of  style, 
composed  of  boughs,  rubber  blankets,  and  fence  rails  bor- 
U 


158  HISTORY    OF    THE 

rowed  for  the  occasion,  covered  the  ground  by  what  would 
be  early  breakfast  hour  at  home,  though  the  hot  coffee, 
(made  by  themselves),  crackers  and  salt-junk  or  pork,  was 
devoured  some  time  before. 

Windsor  is  a  one-horse  town,  and  almost  a  one-house  town. 
Four  or  five  houses  at  most,  including  the  depot  and  a  few 
more,  a  quarter  or  a  half  a  mile  back,  constituted  the  town. 
Union  people  were  very  scarce,  and  few  men  were  to  be 
seen.  Some  of  the  boys  visited  a  farm  down  the  road  and 
chatted  with  the  owner,  who  was  somewhat  inquisitive. 
They  gave  him  information  freely,  and  told  him  the  force 
about  there  amounted  to  seventy  thousand  men,  and  fifty 
pieces  of  cannon  !  "  Well,"  said  he,  "I  thought  there  was 
a  mighty  heap  of  you  'un's  'round  here." 

There  we  remained  all  day  Thursday  and  through  the 
night.  Our  forces  had  hardly  reached  Windsor  the  night 
before,  ere  a  locomotive  with  flats  attached  and  a  large 
company  of  contrabands  passed  up  above  the  town,  began 
to  remove  the  rails  and  transport  them  to  a  safe  place. 
The  business  was  done  in  the  most  approved  style  and  with 
very  little  loss  of  material. 

THE      ELEVENTH      IN      THE      ADVANCE SKIRMISH     WITH     THE 

REBELS. 

About  eight  o'clock  Friday  morning,  order  came  suddenly 
to  fall  in.  Our  blankets  were  rolled  up  in  a  trice,  and  we 
were  in  line  and  moving  off  the  ground  in  ten  minutes. 
Windsor  was  reckoned  twelve  miles  by  common  road  from 
Suffolk.  We  marched  past  the  station  with  our  brass  band 
and  drum  band  ahead,  past  the  Sixth  Massachusetts  and 
Thirteenth  Indiana,  that  had  been  in  the  advance,  past 
Gen.  Co'rcoran's  headquarters,  and  took  the  advance  our- 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  159 

selves.  "  Old  soldiers,"  said  the  men  in  the  regiments  that 
we  passed,  and  they  cheered  us  on.  We  were  moving  to  a 
point  where  there  was  a  probability  of  a  brush  with  the 
enemy,  and  our  Colonel  requested  that  the  Eleventh  might 
be  placed  in  the  advance. 

We  moved  on  mid  dust,  the  heat  of  the  sjm,  and  fires  in 
the  woods,  about  three  miles  and  a  half  beyond  Windsor, 
and  halted  at  about  the  same  distance  from  the  Blackwater 
river,  near  Antioch  church,  in  another  opening  in  the  woods. 
The  Twenty-sixth  Michigan  were  on  the  right  and  a  section 
of  Battery  D,  Fourth  United  States  Artillery,  were  near  us. 
The  rays  of  the  sun  beat  fiercely  on  our  heads,  and  we 
immediately  sought  the  shelter  of  the  woods  and  bushes,  on 
the  edge  of  which  our  line  rested.  Our  pickets  were  hardly 
thrown  out,  when  "fall  in"  was  the  word,  and  we  were 
told  that  our  cavalry  pickets  had  been  driven  in  and  that 
rebel  infantry  were  following  up  ;  but  it  amounted  to  noth 
ing.  Several  of  these  alarms  followed  during  the  day,  and 
we  became  quite  used  to  them.  We  had  to  go  beyond  our 
own  pickets  to  obtain  water. 

Towards  night,  and  until  after  dark,  there  was  sharp  firing, 
desultory  at  first,  soon  increasing,  and  at  times  quite  rapid. 
It  was  plain  that  our  pickets  were  at  it,  and  they  kept  at  it 
until  the  rebels  disappeared.  In  the  morning  we  learned 
more  definitely,  that  Company  F,  Capt.  Taft,  with  Lieut. 
Hudson,  commanding  the  reserve,  had  fairly  engaged  the 
enemy's  skirmishers,  and  done  their  part  handsomely.  It 
was  proven  beyond  a  doubt  that  the  boys  had  no  notion  of 
being  afraid  of  rebel  bullets,  and  they  were  a  fair  match  for 
the  well-trained  skirmishers  of  the  rebel  army.  None  of 
Company  F  were  hurt,  though  the  bullets  of  the  enemy 
whistled  plentifully  around  them.  Col.  Church,  who  pro 
ceeded  to  the  scene  of  action  when  the  firing  began,  was 


160  HISTORY    OF    THE 

immediately  asked  to  dismount  by  a  rebel  bullet,  and  obeyed 
without  a  repetition  of  the  request.  Whether  more  than 
one  of  the  enemy  was  struck  by  the  bullets  from  our  side 
we  do  not  know.  We  supposed  there  were.  The  pickets 
of  the  Twenty-sixth  Michigan  were  also  firing  at  the  same 
time.  Next  morning  the  hat  and  rifle  of  a  soldier  from  a 
Mississippi  regiment  were  brought  in,  and  one  of  the 
mounted  riflemen  soon  after  obtained  the  body,  which  left 
no  doubt  that  one  rebel  was  killed  by  somebody,  the  Michi- 
ganders  claiming  the  honor. 

Upwards  of  thirty  dollars  Confederate  money  was  found 
upon  the  body  and  some  valuables.  On  the  rifle  was  "R. 
A.  Neely,  Second  Mississippi  Volunteers." 

We  slept  quietly  and  undisturbed  Friday  night.  Careful 
provision  was  made  to  repel  an  attack.  Company  F  was 
relieved  on  picket  at  ten  o'clock  by  Company  K,  Capt. 
Mowry.  Company  C,  Capt.  Parkhurst,  was  also  sent  out 
as  a  support.  The  pioneers  felled  trees  at  night  to  barri 
cade  the  road  on  which  our  line  rested. 

It  was  understood  that  we  should  fall  back  to  Windsor  as 
early,  at  least,  as  Saturday  night,  because  the  work  on  the 
railroad  would  be  completed  to  that  point,  but  the  rebels 
were  unwilling  to  let  us  off'  without  one  more  visit.  So, 
live  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  (perhaps  they  got  wind  of  our 
intentions),  pop,  pop,  pop  ;  then  too  rapid  to  count ;  then  a 
volley.  The  orderlies  and  horsemen  came  dashing  down 
the  road  and  the  Eleventh  were  in  line  of  battle  in  a  twink 
ling.  The  cavalry  pickets  had  fallen  back,  and  the  infantry 
pickets,  Companies  K  and  C  and  the  Michigan  boys,  were 
having  a  lively  time  of  it.  Now  the  musketry  rattled,  and 
we  could  see  the  flashes  in  the  woods  ahead  and  the  smoke. 
The  rebels  were  reported  coming  up  the  road. 

"Right   dress!    load   at  will!"    was  the    order    of   Col. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 

Church.  More  pickets  (one-half  of  Company  E,  Capt. 
James,)  were  sent  out  on  the  left  ;  the  officers'  quarters, 
the  dwellings  of  a  day,  were  swept  away,  and  the  field 
cleared  for  action.  "Company  B,  right  face!  forward 
marcli!"  and  up  the  road  they  went  at  double-quick,  and 
deployed  as  skirmishers  into  the  woods  several  hundred 
yards  beyond  us,  while  the  other  companies  waited  patiently 
and  eagerly  for  the  order  to  follow  them.  The  Colonel 
urged  his  men  to  fight,  but  the  words  were  not  needed  ;  the 
order  was  sufficient,  and  the  previous  conduct  of  the  reo-i- 
ment  was  a  warrant  that  Rhode  Island  would  have  had  no 
cause  to  be  ashamed  of  their  action. 

Gen.  Dodge's  headquarters  were  under  a  big  tree,  a  little 
up  the  road  on  our  right,  and  under  his  orders  the  battery 
opened  with  shell  upon  the  rebels  in  the  woods.  The  fuses 
were  too  short,  and  the  missiles  at  first  exploded  over  the 
heads  of  Companies  K  and  B,  but  the  mistake  was  quickly 
corrected,  and  the  enemy  received  the  full  benefit  of  shot 
and  shell. 

Gen.  Dodge's  orders  were,  not  to  attack,  but  only  to 
repel  the  enemy.  Company  K  was  in  front,  and  a  cavalry 
man  had  just  reported  to  Capt.  Mo  wry  that  no  rebels  were 
near.  The  latter  ordered  his  men  t)  remain  concealed, 
when,  a  moment  or  two  after,  a  volley  from  a  hidden  foe 
showed  that  the  trooper  had  been  cheated.  At  the  outset, 
our  boys  were  beyond  the  barricade  in  the  road,  and  the 
enemy,  with  a  force  of  cavalry  flanked  by  infantry,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred  strong,  charged  upon  our 
small  force  of  pickets,  who  fell  back  on  the  reserve  to  a  safer 
position,  giving  the  foe  a  sharp  fire  on  their  retreat.  They 
maintained  their  position  till  dark  and  after  our  whole  force 
was  well  on  its  way  to  Windsor.  Each  company  acquitted 
itself  well. 


162  HISTORY    OF    THE 

Company  C  brought  in  two  prisoners  captured  that  night, 
and  six  more  came  in  next  morning.  Companies  B,  C,  and 
K  acted  as  rear  guard.  The  remainder  of  the  regiment  felt 
disappointed  only  because  they  had  no  share  in  the  business. 

The  rebels  were  completely  foiled,  and  lost,  said  the  pris 
oners,  one  man  killed  and  six  wounded,  while  not  a  man  on 
our  side  received  a  scratch. 

We  add  the  account  of  this  affair  given  by  "A.  I).  N."  : 


"  About  five  o'clock  on  Saturday  afternoon,  sharp  tiring  was 
heard  between  our  pickets  and  those  of  the  rebels.  Our  pickets, 
Companies  C  and  K,  were  soon  driven  in  by  a  rebel  force  of  cavalry 
and  infantry.  Our  regiment  was  immediately  ordered  into  line, 
and  Company  B  was  sent  down  the  road  on  the  '  double-quick  '  to 
support  the,  pickets.  As  soon  as  we  arrived  at  our  destination  we 
were  ordered  to  deploy  as  skirmishers.  We  deployed  on  the  right 
and  left  of  the  road  and  advanced  into  the  woods,  where  we 
remained  until  dark,  advancing  and  retreating,  and  exchanging 
shots  with  the  rebels.  Meanwhile  two  pieces  of  our  artillery  kept 
up  a  brisk  fire  of  shot  and  shell,  which  passed  directly  over  our 
heads  and  had  their  designed  effect,  in  causing  the  rebels  to  fall 
back  from  their  position.  One  or  two  companies  of  the  Twenty- 
sixth  Michigan  were  also  deployed  on  our  right  as  skirmishers.  A 
captain  of  one  of  the  companies  was  shot  in  the  arm  by  one  of  his 
own  men  during  the  skirmish.  He  has  since  died  from  the  effects 
of  the  wound.  His  funeral  took  place  on  Wednesday  last.  Our 
much-esteemed  First  Lieutenant  came  near  being  shot  by  mistake, 
by  a  member  of  Company  C.  Companies  C  and  K  were  deployed 
in  our  rear.  The  lieutenant's  life  was  only  saved  by  the  marksman 
being  a  poor  shot,  as  he  was  within  a  few  rods  of  him  when  he  fired. 

"  The  rebels  are  said  to  have  had  two  regiments  of  infantry,  two 
companies  of  cavalry  and  two  pieces  of  artillery.  They  used  only 
a,  small  part  of  their  force  in  the  skirmish.  Two  rebels  delivered 
themselves  up  to  Company  C  as  prisoners.  They  belonged  to  the 
Second  Mississippi  Volunteers,  and  declared  themselves  tired  of 
fighting.  They  said  there  were  two  hundred  more  men  of  the  same 
regiment  who  were  anxious  to  get  inside  of  our  lines.  They  repre 
sented  that  there  was  a  rebel  force  of  eight  thousand  at  the  Black- 
water. 

"  It  was  in  this  skirmish  that  our  boys  were,  for  the  first  time, 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  1()3 

'  under  fire,'  and  I  but  speak  the  sentiment  of  the  regiment  when  I 
say  that  they  behaved  well.  Every  man  was  in  his  place  and  did 
his  duty.  Not  one  of  them  was  injured."* 

Another  account  states  that  the  two  prisoners  brought 
in  by  Company  C  said  that  opposed  to  us  were  six  compa 
nies  of  the  Second  and  two  of  the  Eleventh  Mississippi, 
and  two  companies  of  cavalry. 

From  another  source  we  have  the  following  : 

"After  that  all  was  quiet  for  about  an  hour,  when  firing 
slowly  began.  The  rebels  were  seen  about  six  hundred 
yards  in  front,  filing  across  the  road,  and  our  advance  posts 
opened  fire  upon  them,  but  the  distance  was  too  great  for 
any  execution.  Soon  after  this,  firing  was  heard  on  the 
right,  and  Capt.  Mowry,  who  had  been  for  upwards  of  half 
an  hour  firing  upon  the  enemy  with  the  musket  of  one  of 
the  men  from  his  front  post,  hastened  back  to  the  cover  of 
the  woods,  and  sent  Private  Hicks  on  the  run  down  to  the 
right  to  find  out  what  the  \natter  was,  saying  he  feared  they 
would  be  flanked.  Before  Private  Hicks  could  return  to 
report,  a  sudden  volley  was  fired,  and  three  companies  of 
rebel  infantry  advanced  from  tlie  orchard  on  our  right,  and 
three  companies  from  the  '  road  lined  with  bushes,'  on  the 
left,  while  a  squadron  of  cavalry  and  two  howitzers  came 
thundering  down  the  road  in  front. 

"The  picket  men  rallied  at  the  barricade,  and  as  the 
rebels  came  up  opened  fire  upon  them  with  considerable 
execution.  The  men  on  the  right  had  just  time  to  jump 

*  "  In  this  skirmish,"  writes  another,  "  a  platoon  of  Company  E  was  ordered 
forward  to  the  centre.  They  entered  a  wood  just  beyond  which  was  a  plain, 
and  beyond  that  another  wood,  from  which  emerged  several  hundred  rebels. 
They  advanced  to  the  centre  of  the  plain,  then  gave  one  of  their  characteristic 
yells  and  charged  upon  our  line.  Immediately  our  men  were  ordered  to  load 
and  tire  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Five  or  six  volleys  were  fired.  The  rebels  did 
not  advance  far  into  the  wood,  but  carne  within  about  two  hundred  feet  of  our 
skirmish  line  and  then  retired." 


164  HISTORY    OF    THK 

into  the  woods  and  save  themselves  from  capture,  and  those 
on  the  left  also  narrowly  escaped  being  taken.  One  man 
lost  his  blanket  and  another  his  cap.  But  they  all  obeyed 
orders,  and  the  barricade  was  held,  though  against  fearful 
odds.  There  were  not  more  than  thirty  men  in  that  part  of 
the  company  that  fell  back  to  the  barricade,  the  rest  of  them 
being  on  the  cross  road  towards  the  left.  But  these  men 
successfully  resisted  the  six  companies  of  infantry,  and 
drove  them  back.  During  this  sharp  and  rapid  firing,  one 
of  the  men,  Private  Patterson,  broke  the  nipple  of  his  mus 
ket,  and  was  thus  disabled.  With  scarce  a  moment's  hesi 
tation  he  threw  the  gun  over  his  shoulder  and  inarched 
back  to  the  rest  of  the  regiment,  borrowed  another  musket, 
and  was  soon  loading  and  firing  as  if  nothing  of  the  sort 
had  happened.  While  thus  engaged  in  firing,  Capt.  Mowry's 
colored  boy,  John  Taylor,  got  a  musket  from  some  one,  and 
stood  up  boldly  at  the  barricade,  loading  and  firing  with 
great  rapidity.  On  one  of  the  small  branches  of  a  large 
tree  had  been  thrown  a  canteen.  In  the  haste,  this  useful 
article  had  been  left  swinging  there,  when  a  minie  ball  struck 
it  near  one  edge  and  set  it  whirling  with  considerable  swift 
ness.  This  pleased  John,  and  he,  laughing  heartily,  said, 
'See  de  canteen  whirling,  see  de  canteen  whirling.'  Mean 
time  Companies  B  and  E  were  sent  forward  from  the  regi 
ment,  now  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle  and  waiting  for  orders 
to  march  forward,  on  the  double-quick,  and  deployed  as 
skirmishers  ;  Company  B,  Capt.  Thrasher,  to  the  right  of 
the  road,  and  Company  E,  Capt.  James,  to  the  left  of  the 
road.  Soon  there  was  a  lull  in  the  firing  of  the  enemy, 
probably  caused  by  the  rapid  shelling  from  a  couple  of 
Parrots,  which  opened  upon  them  by  order  of  Gen.  Dodge, 
in  command  of  our  artillery.  Just  at  this  juncture,  when 
the  artillery  had  stopped  firing,  Capt.  Mowry,  Company 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  165 

K  ran  out  to  the  front  to  reconnoitre,  supposing  from 
commands,  which  could  be  distinctly  heard  through  the 
thin  skirt  of  woods  that  separated  us  from  the  open  plain 
beyond,  that  Col.  Church  had  deployed  the  regiment,  or  what 
remained  of  it  at  the  rear,  unengaged,  to  the  right,  by  an 
old  cart  path,  and  so  had  attacked  the  rebels  at  close  quar 
ters.  The  Captain,  therefore,  wishing  to  learn  the  exact 
position  at  the  front,  that  he  might  lead  his  company  forward 
and  join  the  regiment  in  this  attack  upon  the  enemy  which 
had  so  suddenly  driven  in  his  pickets,  hurried  forward  past 
the  barricade,  beyond  the  line  of  skirmishers,  and  suddenly 
presented  himself  in  the  open  road  in  full  view  of  the  plain 
beyond. 

"  What  was  his  astonishment,  then,  on  looking  up  the 
road,  to  find,  drawn  up  in  column  by  platoons  in  the  light 
pines,  those  six  companies  of  rebel  skirmishers,  just  ahead 
of  him,  in  full  view,  and  only  about  sixty  yards  from  him. 
It  required  but  a  second  of  time  to  comprehend  the  situation. 
They  were  not  blue-coats  at  all,  as  he  had  supposed,  but 
they  were  in  very  truth,  '  y ray-backs.'  But  no  sooner  had 
that  truth  flashed  upon  his  mind,  than  those  veritable  gray- 
backs,  all,  with  a  singular  unanimity  of  purpose,  and  with 
out  waiting  even  for  a  word  of  command,  drew  a  bead  upon 
the  astonished  Captain,  and  fired.  But,  equal  to  the  emer 
gency,  he  had  grasped  the  situation,  and  had  instantly,  quick 
as  thought,  thrown  himself  flat  in  the  gutter,  by  the  side  of 
'the  road.  The  ground  descended  slightly  from  where  the 
rebels  were  to  the  place  where  the  Captain  was,  and  every 
shot  of  the  volley,  probably  from  more  than  a  hundred 
muskets,  passed  over  him,  and  he  escaped  unharmed. 
Instantly,  as  soon  as  the  volley  was  past,  he  threw  himself 
into  the  brush  and  rapidly  (without  any  doubt)  joined  his 
company.  But  the  firing  continued  so  brisk,  that  on  his 


1()6  HISTORY    OF    THE 

return  he  found  that  Ca.pt .  Parkhurst,  who  was  acting  as  his 
reserve,  had  ordered  his  men  to  lie  down. 

"It  was  now  near  sunset,  and  the  order  had  been  received 
early  in  the  day  for  the  whole  force  to  move  to  Windsor 
station.  The  execution  of  this  order  had  been  delayed  .  till 
evening  on  account  of  the  intensity  of  the  heat.  As  the 
rebels  had  been  effectually  repulsed,  this  order  was  soon  car 
ried  into  execution." 

BACK    TO    WINDSOR — COOKING    RATIONS THOSE    HAMS. 

On  the  night  of  *the  skirmish,  in  accordance  with  the  pre 
vious  plan  and  positive  orders,  the  Union  forces,  the 
Eleventh  in  the  rear,  fell  back  several  miles  and  bivouacked 
on  our  old  camp-ground  near  Windsor,  most  of  the  men 
re-occupying  the  temporary  shelters  we  had  left.  Some  of 
these  were  quite  extensive,  where  two  or  three  tenants  occu 
pied  them,  and  on  the  previous  Thursday  evening  twenty-five 
or  thirty  persons  gathered  in  one  of  them  for  a  religious 
meeting.  It  was  nothing  new  for  soldiers  to  cook  rations, 
but  until  this  tramp  the  Eleventh  did  very  little  of  it,  and  it 
was  no  small  source  of  amusement  to  witness  the  various 
styles  and  devices  of  the  men  to  make  their  rations  palata 
ble.  The  cooks  of  some  of  the  companies  were  present, 
either  a  part  or  all  of  the  time,  and  did  some  cooking  even 
under  those  shifting  circumstances.. 

On  the  march  back  to  Windsor  we  were  not  only  almost 
smothered  in  dust,  but  our  eyes  were  filled  with  smoke  from 
the  woods  that  were  on  fire  on  either  side,  nearly  the  whole 
route.  Once  in  a  while,  the  fire  streaming  now  and  then 
from  the  tall  trees,  seemed 

"Like  banners  in  the  sky," 
but  the  sight  hardly  paid  for  the  price  of  the  show. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  167 

While  in  camp  at  Windsor,  Company  G  discovered  a  large 
lot  of  hams  hid  away  near  a  house,  and  the  woman  who 
occupied  the  premises,  went  so  far  in  her  ignorance  of  their 
whereabouts,  as  to  buy  one  from  the  "G's,"  who  repaid 
her  patronage,  by  soon  after  discovering  a  still  larger  lot  in 
the  loft. 

BARRETT'S  PLANTATION. 

We  broke  camp  at  Windsor  at  three  o'clock  Sunday  after 
noon.  It  was  one  of  the  hottest  days  the  regiment  experi 
enced  during  its  whole  time  of  service.  We  marched  three 
miles  towards  Suffolk  on  the  road  to  Providence  chapel,  the 
intensest  rays  of  the  sun  beating  on  our  heads  all  the  way, 
until  we  halted  at  Rev.  Mills  Barrett's  plantation.  Add  to 
the  heat  the  clouds  of  suffocating  dust  that  enveloped  us 
throughout  the  march,  especially  when  a  large  body  of 
cavalry  passed  us,  and  it  was  the  most  trying  tramp  we  had 
made.  We  believe  this  opinion  was  shared  by  a  majority 
of  the  officers  and  men.  No  "weary  traveler"  ever 
"  espied  his  home  from  some  o'er-looking  hill,"  with  more 
satisfaction  than  the  men  of  the  Eleventh  beheld  the  green 
lawn  of  this  plantation,  as  they  filed  in  and  drank  of  the  water 
from  the  old  oaken  bucket  of  the  old-fashioned  well,  arid 
bathed  their  heads  with  its  deep  stored  waters.  On  our  way 
we  saw  two  or  three  neat-looking  houses,  fronting  fine 
estates,  and  a  waving  field  of  wheat  called  forth  the  exclama 
tions  of  the  men. 

At  Barrett's  plantation  we  learned  much  that  was  new  to 
us  as  a  regiment,  and  to  most  of  us  as  individuals.  It 
opened  to  us  a  view  of  slavery  that  we  had  not  seen  before. 
A  planter,  a  divine  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  a  son, 
chaplain  in  the  rebel  army,  another  at  Norfolk,  said  to  be 


168  H1STOKY    OF    THE 

loyal,  twenty-two  slaves  of  all  ages,  and  several  shades  of 
color,  and  an  estate  that  comprised  three  hundred  and  six 
acres  of  land  of  all  kinds,  a  large  white  house  of  no  style  of 
architecture  (usual  in  the  parts  where  we  travelled),  stand 
ing  far  back  from  the  road,  the  smooth  lawn  in  front  and 
around  the  house,  dotted  here  and  there  with  shade  and 
fruit-trees,  and  a  well  with  a  bucket  balanced  on  the  end  of 
a  long  pole,  with  poorer  houses  on  one  side  for  negroes,  and 
out-houses  for  various  purposes.  A  big  corn  field,  on  which 
an  average  of  five  bushels  to  the  acre  only  was  raised,  a 
cotton  field  on  the  left,  an  orchard  with  fine  varieties  of 
fruit,  good  stock,  starvingly  fed  poultry,  and  magnificent 
woods  complete  the  picture  of  the  surroundings. 

The  owner  of  all  this  was  rank  secesh  ;  the  housekeeper, 
Miss  Mary,  as  bitter  as  wormwood ;  the  darkies  were 
Union,  and  fully  believing  that 

"  It  must  l)e  now  the  kingdom's  coming, 
And  the  year  of  jubilee." 

Somebody  in  the  house  was  sick  when  the  regiment 
arrived  there.  "  Been  sick  a  week,  massa,"  said  one  of  the 
female,  Union  colored  persons.  "  Taken  sick  five  minutes 
before  the  Union  soldiers  come  here,  to  save  the  house  from 
burning  down,"  was  added  in  an  under  tone. 

There  was  another,  and  no  mean  attraction,  at  that  camp, 
the  magnolia  trees  in  the  woods  near  us,  with  their  lily-like 
blossoms,  and  their  exquisite  fragrance.  Oceans  of  black 
berry  bushes,  in  full  bloom,  skirted  the  woods  about.  And 
we  remember  now  the  huckleberry  bushes  on  our  march  to 
the  "  Deserted  House,"  which,  with  their  beautiful  white 
bell-like  clusters,  lined  the  roadside. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  169 


WHO    WAS    IN    COMMAND? 


Gen.    Corcoran    and    staff',    Col.    Church   and    staff',    and 
many  other  officers,  made  Barrett's  house,  which  was  roomy, 
their  headquarters.      During  tin's   raid,   for   it   amounted   to 
that,  it  was  difficult  for  most  of  us  to  tell  who  was  in  com 
mand.     Col.  Foster,  acting  as  brigadier,   was  in  command 
several  days,   and  then   was   taken   sick.      Gen.    Corcoran, 
able  then  to  absent   himself  from  his   court   of  inquiry,   in 
reference  to  shooting  Col.  Kimball,    came  out  and  assumed 
command.      Gen.  Dodge  arrived  and    had  command   of  the 
artillery  and  cavalry,  and   in  the   skirmish   on   Saturday,    it 
was  said,  directed  operations.      When   in   Suffolk,   we   were 
in  Gen.  Terry's  brigade,  then  in  Col.    Wai-drop's,    again   in 
Col.  Farrow's,  and  during  the  last  two  days,  before  reaching 
Suffolk,  on  our  return  to  Camp  Perry,  in  Col.  Church's,    he 
acting  as  brigadier,  and  Col.  Wardrop   commanding  all  the 
infantry  force.      Whoever  was  in  command,    we  advanced, 
moved  and  fell  back  ;  Gen.    Corcoran 's  headquarters  being 
most  of  the  time  at  Windsor,  and  Gen.   Dodge's  at  Antioch 
church,  several  miles  nearer  the  Blackwater. 

WONDER    OF    THE    SLAVES    AT    THE    ML  SIC  OF    THE    BAND. 

On  the  night  that  we  halted  at  Barrett's,  a  great  deal  of 
amusement  was  created  early  in  the  evening  by  the  actions 
of  the  slaves,  old  and  young,  while  the  band  was  playing 
some  of  their  fine  music.  The  older  ones  were  pleased  and 
astonished,  while  the  little  ones,  from  three  years'  old  and 
upwards,  were  fairly  frightened  at  the  power  of  some  of  the 
instruments,  especially  of  the  big  drum.  They  would  steal 
up  gradually,  while  some  pleasing  strain  was  played,  and 


170  HISTORY    OF    THE 

when  a  crashing  passage  burst  forth,  would  skedaddle  in  the 
greatest  terror.  The  youngsters  gave  an  exhibition  in 
dancing  which  created  shouts  of  merriment,  especially  as 
the  little  sables,  in  neat,  white  dresses,  flitted  about  in  the 
dusk  like  so  many  witches. 

ORDERLY    FORAGING. 

"Promiscuous  foraging,"  says  "  J.  H.  G.,"  was  "  strictly 
prohibited,  as  it  is  very  demoralizing  to  the  troops,  but  when 
conducted  properly,  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not 
take  articles  belonging  to  the  enemy."  As  an  instance,  we 
suppose,  of  what  was  proper,  he  adds  :  "  We  learned  here, 
from  a  contraband,  that  a  neighbor  had  concealed  a  quantity 
of  corn  in  the  woods,  and  a  team,  accompanied  by  Maj. 
Moss  and  others  of  the  staff  of  the  Eleventh,  with  a  guard, 
were  dispatched  to  confiscate  it.  We  found  enough  near  a 
by-path  about  a  mile  distant,  to  fill  a  large  army  wagon, 
and  our  horses  have  eaten  it  with  all  the  composure  with 
which  they  eat  the  forage  which  is  bought  and  paid  for." 
It  is  easy  to  see  how  much  nearer  right  it  was  for  staff 
officers  with  a  guard  to  confiscate  a  lot  of  corn,  than  it  was 
for  privates  to  capture  kt  a  pig  or  pigs,  hog  or  hogs,"  etc.  ; 
or,  for  illustration,  a  story  is  told  that  Col.  Church  happened 
in  the  woods  where  some  of  the  boys  in  Company  K  were 
dressing  off  a  hog,  and  inquired  of  Sergt.  Viall :  "  Did  you 
shoot  that  hog?  "  "  No,  sir,"  said  the  Sergeant,  "  he  ran 
upon  my  bayonet ;  will  you  have  a  piece,  Colonel?  "  Was 
that  hog,  and  many  other  animals  who  died  on  this  raid, 
eaten  with  the  same  composure  by  the  officers  and  men,  as 
if  they  had  been  bought  and  paid  for  ? 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  171 

A     GOVERNMENT     TEAM     BECOMES     A     CHARIOT     OF     FREEDOM. 

Among  the  slaves  of  Mills  Barrett,  was  a  Creole,  whose 
husband  was  free  in  Suffolk,  at  work  in  the  Union  commis 
sary  department.  In  her  youthful  days  she  was  fair,  and 
she  had,  among  her  seven  children,  which  we  saw,  four 
which  were  said  to  be  the  children  of  her  master's  brother's 
son.  The  two  kinds  of  children  were  easily  distinguished. 
They  dwelt  in  an  older  mansion  near  by,  and  the  writer  was 
permitted  to  view  the  premises.  There  was  the  monstrous 
fire-place  of  the  olden  time,  an  old-fashioned  bake-pan,  a 
loom  in  one  corner  on  which  they  wove  a  very  coarse  and 
stout  cotton  cloth,  from  cotton  grown  on  the  estate,  and  a 
long  chest  full  of  fine  dresses,  made  by  the  eldest  daughter 
for  her  missus.  This  all  told  of  a  decaying  aristocracy. 

Monday  afternoon,  this  whole  family  were  carted  off  to 
leave  a  heap  of  trouble  on  the  mind  of  old  Secesh.  Some 
were  shocked  that  they  should  want  to,  and  did,  thus  leave 
the  old  man,  but  the  majority  were  well  pleased  with  the 
transaction.  We  will  quote  from  "  J.  B.  G."  again  :  "One 
woman  with  seven  children  were  anxious  to  proceed  to  Suf 
folk  to  join  her  husband,  .  .  and  our  Adjutant  made  an 
arrangement  to  take  them  and  their  worldly  goods  to  town. 
After  dinner  the  team  drove  up,  and  a  very  few  minutes  were 
sufficient  to  hurry  beds,  boxes,  crockery,  darkies  and  all, 
into  the  wagon,  and  they  moved  off  while  three  rousing 
cheers  were  given  by  the  regiment.  The  old  man  and  his 
housekeeper  stood  in  the  door  of  their  house,  and  saw  them 
as  they  turned  their  backs  forever  without  a  tear  of  regret, 
upon  the  family,  giving  a  practical  comment  to  the  idea  that 
slaves  will  never  leave  their  masters."  This  family  pro 
ceeded  on  their  freedom  trip  some  distance  towards  Suffolk, 
when  Col.  Wardrop,  learning  what  had  been  done,  proceeded 


172  HISTORY    OF    THE 

after  them  in  great  anger,  and  ordered  the  government  team 
to  return  to  Barrett's  ;  but  to  the  best  of  our  knowledge, 
our  Adjutant's  executive  ability  was  equal  to  the  Colonel's 
wrath.  The  team  went  back,  per  order,  but  the  family 
found  a  hiding  place  near  by,  and  at  night  proceeded  in 
safety  on  their  way  to  Suffolk. 

One  or  two  of  the  planter's  boys  went  into  the  employ  of 
our  officers  as  servants,  and  when  the  Union  soldiers  finally 
moved  off,  Mills  Barrett's  personal  property  amounted  to 
twenty-two  xervaiifx*  minus  about  twenty  who  "•went  and 
run'd  away." 

"J.  B.  G."  writes  further:  "When  we  Iwive,  as  we 
shall  do  to-day,  there  will  be  several  tenements  to  let  on 
this  and  other  plantations,  as  the  remainder  of  the  slaves 
are  intending  to  form  an  escort  for  the  regiment.  The  news 
of  our  coming  is  spreading  all  around,  and  we  have  already 
heard  of  twenty  or  more  from  other  families  who  propose  to 
make  a  march  for  liberty.  There  is  no  murmuring  among 
the  people,  as  they  seem  to  expect  such  things,  and  are  con 
tent  to  submit  and  furnish  provision  if  we  need,  if  we  will 
only  leave  them  behind  and  not  burn  their  houses." 

K\I>  OF  Tin:  RAID. 

The  end  of  our  journeyings  drew  near,  for  Tuesday,  the 
20th  instant,  after  much  delay,  and  much  mystery  as  to 
where  we  were  bound,  we  took  up  our  line  of  march  in  the 
middle  of  the  afternoon,  and  after  a  brisk  tramp  of  about 
four  hours  in  a  Virginia  fence  course,  halted,  with  the 
exception  of  two  companies,  who  were  ordered  on  picket, 
several  miles  outside  of  Suffolk,  and  encamped,  as  was  sup 
posed,  for  the  night,  but  about  ten  o'clock  pickets  were 
called  in,  all  were  aroused,  and  at  half  an  hour  after  mid- 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  173 

night  we  were  joyfully  received  by   the  comrades  who    had 
remained  behind  in  Camp  Perry. 

Lieut.  Snow,  in  our  absence,  was  installed  in  the  Col 
onel's  quarters  as  commandant  of  camp — like  one  of  old, 
supreme  for  a  day — with  an  orderly  to  run  here  and  there 
and  do  his  bidding,  and  every  soldier  able  to  do  anything 
was  kept  thoroughly  busy  in  one  kind  of  duty  or  another. 

RESULT. 

The  result  of  this  expedition  was,  some  eighty  miles  of 
railroad  track  on  two  roads  torn  up  and  stored  in  a  place  of 
safety,  worth  to  the  government  one  hundred  thousand  dol 
lars,  making  it  very  difficult  for  the  enemy  to  bring  supplies 
for  a  large  force  to  besiege  Suffolk,  and  rendering  it  easy  for 
a  small  number  of  troops  to  hold  the  place.  About  twenty- 
five  deserted  dwellings  and  seventy-five  other  buildings  were 
burned,  and  quite  an  amount  of  forage  secured.  According 
to  the  best  reports,  two  of  the  enemy  were  killed  and  six 
wounded,  a  number  of  prisoners  were  captured,  fifty  more 
came  away,  and  others  continued  to  come  in.  About  two 
hundred  slaves  entered  our  lines,  upon  whom  the  enemy 
depended  to  furnish  them  with  supplies  the  next  fall.  We 
met  with  no  loss  on  our  side,  except  a  Michigan  Captain, 
who,  recklessly,  as  we  believe,  exposed  himself  to  the  fire 
of  his  own  men. 

As  to  the  part  that  the  Eleventh  bore,  it  is  enough  to  say 
that  they  were  out  eleven  days  without  tents  of  any  kind, 
tramped  about  forty  miles,  and  did  promptly  and  well  what 
ever  they  were  ordered  to  do.  Only  on  one  day  and  night 
did  we  have  unpleasant  weather. 


174  HISTORY    OF    THE 

SOME    OTHER    THINGS    THAT    WE    OBSERVED. 

The  day  after  our  return  to  Camp  Perry  was  spent  in  a 
general  cleaning  up  of  persons,  clothes  and  equipments,  and 
a  return  to  the  usual  routine  of  camp  life. 

Our  Colonel  and  Major,  with  Lieut.  James,  of  the 
Engineer  Corps,  Sergt.  Viall,  of  Company  K,  a  corporal 
and  eight  men  of  the  Eleventh,  paid  a  visit  to  the  Jericho 
canal,  running  from  the  Nansemond  river  to  Drummond  lake, 
to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  canal.  On  the  30th  instant, 
we  had  some  fine  showers,  and  the  first  considerable  rain 
for  about  three  weeks. 

There  was  one  feature  during  our  raid  into  the  enemy's 
country,  which  somewhat  surprised  us — the  large  amount  of 
cultivated  land.  What  the  proportion  was  before  the  war 
we  could  not  tell,  but  we  returned  to  Suffolk  by  roads  on 
which  were  the  fewest  dwellings,  and  saw  a  great  many 
acres  regularly  cultivated,  with  evident  care,  corn  predomi 
nating.  It  was  equally  true  that  hardly  a  man  was  seen, 
and  such  as  we  saw,  appeared  very  old.  There  was  one 
house  just  outside  of  our  pickets,  when  we  were  nearest 
Zuni,  which  contained  two  families,  and  in  one  of  them  a 
young  woman,  eighteen  years  old,  so  said  her  mother,  who 
worked  regularly  in  the  field.  The  other  family  consisted 
of  a  widow  and  her  little  boy,  whose  husband,  she  said, 
died  before  the  war.  uHe  had  been  a  house  carpen 
ter,  and  had 'built  the  hiyJtt  of  the  houses  in  Windsor." 
She  said  it  cost  them  three  dollars  a  day  to  get  plowing 
done,  and  she  represented  their  destitution  in  a  pitiful  light. 
One  of  our  captains  on  picket  near  by  wanted  to  wash,  and 
asked  the  other  family  for  some  soap.  Some  black,  soft 
soap  was  produced,  and,  finally,  as  a  special  accommodation, 
an  old  chest  was  overhauled  and  a  small  piece  of  hard 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  175 

soap,  nicely  wrapped  up  in  a  cloth,  was  brought  to  light ; 
but  so  apparent  was  it  that  this  could  hardly  be  spared,  that 
the  officer  refused  it  and  used  the  other. 

These  people  would  gladly  have  picked  up  the  hard-tack 
that  we  left  on  the  field  when  we  moved,  and  the  soap  that 
we  threw  away  would  have  been  a  treasure.  The  officer 
to  whom  we  have  just  referred,  had  a  hoe-cake  baked  and 
paid  for  it  twenty-five  cents  of  our  money  ;  but  the  woman 
said  she  would  rather  have  a  pinch  of  salt — another  article 
that  was  a  drug  in  our  camp  on  that  march — than  the  money. 
These  were  but  isolated  specimens  of  the  condition  of 
things  wherever  we  went,  and  the  absence  of  nearly,  if  not 
quite  all,  the  negroes  in  that  region,  could  not  fail  to  make 
the  destitution  still  greater. 

ROUTINE ATTENDANCE    AT    THE    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH — 

DRESS-PARADE. 

The  regiment  were  constantly  employed  in  picket,  guard 
and  fatigue  duty,  battery  support  at  night,  and  battalion  drill 
was  added  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon.  Another  inspec 
tion  came  on  the  last  day  of  the  month,  but  it  was  done  up 
in  good  style,  and  was  far  less  tedious  than  in  our  earlier 
experiences.  In  the  afternoon,  however,  some  thirty  or 
forty  comrades  were  permitted  to  attend  service  at  an  Epis 
copal  Church  in  town,  and  listen  to  an  excellent  discourse 
from  the  Chaplain  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixtieth  Penn 
sylvania,  from  Romans  3d  chapter  and  20th  verse. 

There  is  a  propriety  in  alluding  to  our  dress-parades  in 
this  latter  part  of  our  service.  Col.  Church  had  an  eye  for 
dress-parades,  and  being  a  civil  engineer,  evidently  knew  a 
straight  line.  We  thought  we  had  fine  dress-parades  on 
Miner's  Hill,  but  Col.  Church  made  up  his  mind  to  put  on 


170  HISTORY    OF    THE 

the  finishing  touches.  The  Lieutenant  Colonel  or  Major 
usually  conducted  the  dress-parades,  while  the  Colonel  made 
observations  on  the  flanks,  and  sometimes  in  the  rear  rank. 
On  the  Sunday  just  referred  to  we  supposed  we  had  had  a 
fine  display  of  that  sort,  and  the  usual  religious  service  after 
it,  when,  lo  !  an  order  came,  and  two  more  dress-parades 
followed,  the  second  lasting  until  the  sun  dipped  beneath 
the  horizon.  When  the  lines  in  open  order  were  formed 
according  to  Col.  Church's  ideas,  a  person  standing  on  the 
flank  could  see  but  four  men,  instead  of  six  or  seven  hun 
dred  ;  the  officers  and  men  stood  like  so  many  statues,  the 
mosquitoes,  flies,  wood-ticks  and  other  small  blood-suckers 
had  free  scope  for  nearly  half  an  hour,  and  tobacco  chewing 
and  spitting  were  done  away.  A  day  or  two  after  this,  when 
we  were  off  on  battalion  drill,  the  Colonel  formed  us  into  a 
square,  and  "Now,"  said  he,  tkl  have  you  where  you  can 
hear  me,  and  I  want  to  say  a  few  words  about  dress-parade." 
Well,  we  did  not  take  notes  ;  it  was  a  good  speech  of  the 
kind,  however. 

Again,  to  our  surprise,  on  the  5th  of  June,  the  ever- wel 
come  paymaster  appeared,  the  pay-roll  was  signed  and  the 
regiment  paid.  The  Allotment  Commissioner  followed  on 
the  next  day  to  take  home  just  as  much  as  the  boys  chose 
to  send  to  their  families  and  friends. 

GEN.    TERRY GREAT    .SERVICE     IN    THE     METHODIST    CHURCH. 

One  day  then  was  much  like  another.  There  were  fair 
skies,  pleasant  breezes  and  a  burning  sun.  On  the  night  of 
the  6th  of  June,  we  had  one  of  those  tremendous  showers, 
accompanied  by  the  grandest  thunder  and  vivid  lightning, 
such  as  we  had  heard  only  in  that  southern  country.  The 
thunder  on  that  night  resembled  a  rapid  and  regular  can 
nonade. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  177 

When  Sunday  morning  came  we  had  our  usual  inspection 
varied  by  the  presence  of  Gen.  Terry.  He  was  a  man  of  no 
little  weight,  with  a  pleasant  countenance,  round  head,  care 
fully  trained  moustache,  and  faultless  attire.  His  criticisms 
and  commendations  were  freely  bestowed.  His  manner  was 
agreeable.  He  had  ideas  and  opinions  of  his  own,  which  he 
took  no  pains  to  conceal.  The  regiment  received  a  due 
share  of  praise  from  his  lips,  and  on  the  whole  we  were  not 
sorry  that  he  made  us  a  visit. 

Immediately  after  the  inspection,  by  the  Colonel's  permis 
sion,  quite  a  large  delegation  from  the  regiment,  proceeded 
to  the  Methodist  Church  in  Suffolk,  and  joined  in  public 
worship  there.  The  house,  including  galleries,  was  filled 
with  soldiers  from  the  various  regiments  of  the  Suffolk  army, 
and  many  stood.  Three  chaplains  were  present.  The  ser 
mon  was  by  the  Chaplain  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eigh 
teenth  New  York,  from  Ephesians,  3d  chapter  and  loth 
verse.  The  whole  congregation  united  in  song.  Col. 
Church,  Lieut. -Col.  Pitman,  and  Maj.  Moss,  from  the 
Eleventh  were  present.  After  the  regular  service  about  two 
hundred  remained  to  partake  of  the  communion,  adminis 
tered  to  Christians  of  various  denominations  in  the  Metho 
dist  form,  by  the  chaplains  before  mentioned,  our  own  being 
of  the  number.  This  setting  aside  of  all  minor  differences 
and  blending  many  hearts  in  a  testimony  of  fealty  to  the 
Captain  of  our  Salvation,  was  a  most  interesting  scene. 
Around  a  common  altar  met  officers  and  privates  of  all 
arms  of  the  service,  from  Eastern,  Western  and  Middle 
States — brethren.  Who  would  not  rejoice  that  there  were 
so  many  men  in  our  army  that  daily  offered  their  morning 
and  evening  sacrifice  to  Jehovah,  that  He  might  go  forth 
with  our  armies  and  cause  them  to  triumph. 


178  HISTORY    OF    THE 

CONTRABAND    SERVICE. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  some  twenty-five  of  us 
walked  over  to  Union  town,  not  far  from  our  cam}),  on  the 
banks  of  the  river,  entered  the  large  chapel  of  the  contra 
bands  and  remained  standing,  while  they  carried  on  their 
worship,  for  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half.  The  building 
was  crowded  with  colored  people  of  all  ages  and  shades. 
There  were  old  and  gray-haired  men  -and  women,  number 
less  children,  and  infants  at  the  breast,  all  engaged  in  wor 
ship  with  the  utmost  intensity  and  earnestness. 

The  dresses  were  in  the  most  wonderful  and  fantastic 
variety  ;  the  manifestations  unsuited  to  any  other  place. 
The  singing  defied  all  description.  If  we  should  attempt  a 
description  of  what  we  saw  we  should  be  open  to  the  charge 
of  fun-making ;  yet  it  was  one  of  the  most  serious  and 
affecting  religious  assemblies  the  writer  ever  attended. 
They  sang  frequently,  the  melodies  set  to  the  most  singular 
words.  Some  of  the  tunes  were  lively  and  adapted  to 
dancing,  but  most  of  them  were  very  plaintive  in  their 
character.  The  Jubilee  singers  have  given  us  the  only 
specimens  of  the  peculiar  music  of  these  ex-slaves  and  their 
plantation  melodies.  The  choruses  were  powerful  and 
moving.  An  exhortation  of  an  elderly  gray-haired  brother 
was  full  of  pith  and  point,  and  would  not  disgrace  a  better 
educated  mind.  It  was  a  regular  plantation  conference  and 
prayer  meeting,  to  be  enjoyed  only  south  of  Mason  and 
Dixon's  line. 

ANOTHER    SHAMPAIGN. 

We  had  a  grand  expedition  one  day  on  fatigue  duty  in 
which  one-half  of  the  regiment  went  out,  as  in  the  early 
part  of  our  service,  to  level  the  woods  about  two  miles  off', 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  179 

in  the  range  of  the  batteries  on  the  Nansemond,  and  the  other 
half  to  work  on  Fort  Mansfield,  near  our  camp,  returning  in 
the  evening.  Then  came  an  order  to  move  in  light  inarch 
ing  order,  eacli  man  to  burden  himself  with  one  hundred 
rounds  of  cartridges.  We  left  camp  at  one  o'clock,  marched 
out  about  a  mile,  rested,  countermarched  and  returned  to 
camp  at  half-past  two,  and  thus  endei,  as  the  boys  expressed 
it,  another  shampaign. 

SECOND    RAID    TO    THE    BLACK  WATER. 

We  were  ordered  to  march  and  to  take  with  us  three  days' 
cooked  rations  and  sixty-five  rounds  of  cartridges,*  the 
next  morning.  At  ten  o'clock  we  inarched  from  camp  to 
the  rendezvous  at  the  outermost  signal  station,  where  we 
joined  a  force  which  included  fifteen  regiments  of  infantry, 
three  batteries,  and  Spear's  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  cavalry, 
waiting  for  the  order  to  move.  In  half  an  hour  the  column 
started  on  the  South  Quay  (or  Somerton)  road,  Terry's 
Brigade,  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  New  York  ahead, 
and  the  Rhode  Island  Eleventh  second  on  the  right.  We 
halted  about  one  o'clock  for  dinner.  In  mid-afternoon  light 
refreshing  showers  laid  the  dust,  and  we  had  a  comparatively 
cool  time  through  the  night.  We  camped  near  where  a 
road  turns  off  to  Somerton,  sixteen  miles  from  Suffolk. 

We  moved  Saturday  morning  at  six  o'clock  for  the  Black- 
water  river,  and  about  ten  o'clock  the  Eleventh  filed  into, 
and  formed  a  line  of  battle  in,  an  opening  in  the  woods  a 
mile  arid  a  half  from  the  river,  as  a  support  to  Battery  D, 
Fourth  United  States  Artillery.  Company  B  was  thrown 
out  for  a  short  time  as  skirmishers,  re-called,  and  in  about 

*  Thirty-five  less  than  on  the  previous  day,  when  we.  were  expected  to  move 
on  another  expedition. 


180  HISTORY    OF    THE 

an  hour  we  moved  on  to  South  Quay,  five  miles  from  our 
starting  point  in  the  morning,  again  formed  near  the  woods 
while  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  New  York  went  in  as 
skirmishers,  driving  the  enemy  from  their  rifle-pits  across 
the  river,  and  the  battery,  supported  by  our  regiment,  shelled 
the  town  on  the  opposite  side,  getting  no  reply  after  an 
hour's  cannonade,  though  a  few  of  the  One. Hundred  and 
Thirtieth  were  slightly  wounded  by  the  rebel  sharp-shooters. 
Whether  we  inflicted  any  loss  on  the  enemy  we  could  not 
learn.  We  set  fire  to  six  or  eight  buildings  and  moved 
thence  to  Carsville,  twelve  miles,  which  we  reached  about 
nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  bivouacked  for  the  night. 

As  usual,  we  did  our  hardest  day's  work  Sunday.  We 
were  aroused  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  made  our 
coffee  and  started  about  half-past  five  o'clock  for  Franklin, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Blackwater,  where  the  Seaboard 
and  Roanoke  Railroad  crosses  the  river,  and  arrived  there 
about  nine  o'clock,  where  we  formed  in  line  of  battle,  and 
the  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  New  York  deployed  as 
skirmishers.  About  eleven  o'clock  the  Fourth  Delaware 
battery  opened  fire  on  the  heavy  rebel  breastworks  on  both 
sides  of  the  river,  about  a  mile  to  the  front,  shelling  the 
place  also,  for  about  an  hour.  The  Pennsylvania  cavalry 
made  a  spirited  charge  through  the  town  on  our  side  and 
down  to  the  river.  It  was  an  exciting  time.  Several  men. 
were  wounded  by  the  rebel  sharp-shooters.  About  two 
o'clock  we  started  on  the  Windsor  road  for  Anderson's  Cor 
ners,  which  we  reached  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
and  remained  there  for  the  night. 

This  was  a  raid  for  forage  and  damage  to  the  rebels  ;  all 
decent  horses  and  mules  were  taken  under  our  protection. 
By  permission  of  the  authorities,  our  men  helped  themselves 
to  many  useful  articles.  Hens  died  of  exposure,  honey 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  181 

proved  as  sweet  as  ever,  and  bee  stings  were  as  sharp  as 
usual.  At  one  place  the  boys  had  a  sharp  skirmish  with 
the  bees,  and  a  secesh  woman,  who  did  not  like  to  lose  her 
hens,  eggs,  etc.,  pitched  into  them  quite  handsomely. 

We  marched  Monday  morning  to  Zuni,  or  Blackwater 
Bridge,  passed  our  old  skirmish  ground,  near  Antioch 
Church,  shelled  the  rebels  at  mid-day  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  stream,  for  a  short  time  receiving  no  response,  and  were 
sent  into  a  corn-field,  where  the  sun  almost  burnt  us  up. 
Company  B  were  sent  into  the  woods  as  skirmishers,  and 
after  shelling  the  rebels  once  more,  our  forces  marched  back 
again  to  Anderson's  Corners,  which  we  reached  about  half- 
past  five  o'clock,  pretty  well  tired  out  and  expecting  to  camp 
there  for  the  night.  Coffee  was  made  and  rations  were 
eaten,  when  the  word  went  round  that  we  should  make 
another  march  that  night.  Soon  we  were  ordered  to  fall  in, 
and  we  waited  in  line  until  half-past  nine  o'clock.  Within 
this  two  or  three  hours  of  waiting,  came  one  of  those  pleas 
ant  reliefs  which  whiled  away  the  time  and  inspirited  the 
men  of  the  Eleventh  for  the  march  before  them.  A  song 
was  started  in  one  of  the  companies  of  the  Eleventh,  then 
another,  then  a  chorus.  The  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth 
New  York,  our  neighbors  in  line,  responded,  and  again 
were  urged  to  respond,  and  such  songs  as  "  AVe've  a  mil 
lion  in  the  field,"  u  When  this  cruel  war  is  over,"  and 
"John  Brown,"  rung  out  upon  the  still  night  air,  and  the 
comrades  forgot  their  weariness  and  tramped  off  seven  or  more 
miles  to  Carsville,  reaching  it  about  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  sleeping  soundly  on  our  corn-field  bed  and  rising 
with  the  lark. 

We  moved  ofj'  again  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  for 
Franklin.  After  a  inarch  of  about  five  miles  to  the  Black- 
water,  we  halted  about  twelve  o'clock,  rested  and  then 
ifi 


182  HISTORY    OF    Till: 

moved  on  to  Franklin,  readied  an  agreeable  position  in  the 
edge  of  some  woods,  where  we  were  strictly  ordered  to  keep 
in  position  and  be  ready.  A  fight  was  maintained  in  front 
of  the  woods,  and  sharp  skirmishing  all  the  afternoon.  A 
small  infantry  force  drove  the  rebel  pickets  in.*  A  captain 
of  the  Ninety-ninth  New  York  was  mortally  wounded,  and 
a  number  of  privates  were  either  killed  or  wounded.  Here 
we  remained  through  the  night  and  had  rations  of  fresh 
beef,  for  the  men  of  the  different  regiments  had  killed  some 
ten  or  twelve  cows,  and  hogs  and  shouts  shared  a  similar 
fate.  Our  position  during  this  day  was  a  comfortable  one  ; 
we  could  enjoy  the  shade  when  we  pleased,  and  were  near  a 
large  swampy  pond  of  water,  which  proved  very  agreeable. 

We  moved  the  next  day  to  the  support  of  Battery  I), 
United  States  Artillery,  and  remained  all  day  under  the 
intense  rays  of  a  burning  sun.  Lively  skirmishing  was  kept 
up  all  day.  It  was  estimated  that  on  this  and  the  previous 
day  the  loss  on  our  side  was  fi'fteen  killed  and  wounded. 
Many  houses  were  burned  with  our  shells.  Three  compa 
nies  of  the  Eleventh  were  ordered  on  picket,  which  duty 
was  performed  each  night  we  were  out.  At  night  we  made 
a  five  mile  march  to  Carsville  once  more,  arriving  there 
between  nine  and  ten  o'clock. 

We  were  aroused  very  early  Thursday  morning  and  moved 
at  quarter-past  four  o'clock  to  the  Deserted  House,  eight 
miles,  on  empty  stomachs,  over  two  hours  without  a  single 
halt.  We  stopped  an  hour,  ate  our  breakfast,  bathed  as  we 
could  in  the  brook,  and  started  for  Suffolk,  nine  miles  distant, 
which  was  reached  between  one  and  two  o'clock.  The  sun 
was  fiercely  hot,  the  men  were  pressed  to  the  utmost,  and 
several  hundred  gave  out  by  the  way,  notwithstanding  an 
order  from  the  commander  that  any  who  fell  out  from  any 

*  Sharp-shooters  across  the  river. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  183 

cause  but  sickness,  would  be  taken  up  by  the  provost  guard, 
sent  to  Suffolk,  and  tried  by  a  court  martial.  Luckily  there 
was  no  guard-house  or  jail  in  town  to  hold  them.  During 
tli is  march  we  saw  the  first  school-house  we  had  .observed 
during  our  campaign  in  Virginia,  south  of  Washington. 

DEFLECTIONS. 

"A.  1).  N."  thus  writes  of  this  march:  "It  was  a 
series  of  marches  and  counter-marches  under  a  scorching 
heat,  the  most  severe  the  regiment  had  made  on  account  of 
the  extreme  heat  and  dust.  Many  of  the  men  returned  to 
the  camp  in  advance  of  the  regiment,  either  foot-sore  or 
otherwise  disabled.  AY  lien  the  regiment  arrived  at  Camp 
Perry,  at  noon,  June  18th,  most  of  the  men  were  foot-sore 
and  jaded  out,  though  otherwise  in  good  spirits.  A  few 
suffered  from  sun-stroke." 

We  add  further,  that  while  Gen.  Corcoran  was  in  com 
mand,  most  of  the  marching  was  begun  and  continued  in 
very  quick  time  in  the  hottest  part  of  the  day.  The  curses 
of  men  and  officers  in  the  various  regiments  lighted  upon  his 
head.  It  was  without  judgment,  inhuman  and  brutal  to  use 
Union  soldiers  in  the  style  he  used  them.  Old  soldiers  who 
had  passed  through  all  that  soldiers  ought  to  endure,  declared 
that  they  had  never  experienced  sack  marching. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  the  last  day's  march  under  Col. 
Foster.  Some  of  the  companies  in  some  of  the  regiments 
had  but  five  men  on  reaching  Suffolk.  The  Eleventh  came 
off  as  well,  perhaps  better,  than  any  regiment  but  the  One 
Hundred  and  Thirtieth  New  York,  who  prided  themselves 
on  their  marching,  and  had  been  specially  drilled  to  it.  Heat 
and  dust  combined  to  make  the  ordeal  a  severe  one. 

In  strong  contrast  with  all  this,  was    the  conduct  of  Col. 


184  HISTORY    OF    THE 

Church,  liis  staff  and  our  line  officers.  The  staff  officers 
frequently  dismounted  and  permitted  officers  and  men  to 
take  their  places.  They  carried  guns  and  equipments,  and 
did  all  in  their  power  for  the  comfort  of  their  commands, 
and  so  of  the  line  officers.  Our  Colonel  won  the  special 
good-will  of  the  men  by  his  sympathy  and  kindness  during 
this  march.  We  believed  that  had  he  been  in  command 
and  arranged  the  time  of  marching,  comparatively  few 
would  have  fallen  out. 

Thus  ended  the  second  effort  of  the  Eleventh  to  get  at 
the  enemy  after  the  enemy  had  been  compelled  to  abandon 
their  attempt  upon  Suffolk.  A  favoring  Providence  saved 
the  regiment  from  the  loss  of  a  man.  Picket  duty  on  this 
raid  was  no  farce,  and  in  their  skirmishes  with  the  enemy 
they  were  as  much  exposed  to  danger  as  those  regiments 
that  lost  members  in  killed  and  wounded.  They  were 
always  prompt  to  move  ;  they  occupied  an  honorable  posi 
tion  in  a  force  of  veteran  infantry,  and  they  endured  the 
hardships  of  the  service  with  the  fortitude  of  soldiers  of 
larger  experience  in  the  field  of  conflict. 

Our  regiment  had  been  at  the  front  a  little  more  than  two 
months.  They  performed  every  duty  and  obeyed  every  order 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  generals  commanding.  Our  Col 
onel  claimed  that  his  regiment  would  get  into  line  quicker 
than  any  other  regiment.  If  every  man  escaped  the  bultats 
of  the  enemy,  it  was  the  fault  of  the  rebels.  The  men 
were  received  by  the  comrades  in.  camp  with  the  heartiest 
welcome  and  an  exhibition  of  the  most  generous  hospitality 
that  a  "  soldier's  fare  "  could  afford. 

AWAY    FOR    YORKTOWN. 

Rumors  that  we  must  make  preparation  for  another  march 
were  circulated  almost  as  soon  as  we  returned  to  Camp 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  185 

Perry.  Rumors  that  Suffolk  was  to  be  abandoned  were  also 
rife.  But  we  were  not  long  left  in  suspense,  for  on  the  very 
next  day  we  rose  at  early  dawn,  put  ourselves  in  the  best 
trim  possible,  partook  of  our  morning  meal  of  salt-junk, 
hard-tack  and  coffee,  bid  farewell  to  Camp  Perry  without 
much  murmuring,  marched  to  the  railroad  depot  in  Suffolk, 
waited  at  mid-day  for  a  fine  shower  to  lay  the  dust  on  the 
road,  and  for  further  orders  to  move,  and  at  half-past  two 
took  the  cars  for  Norfolk,  where  we  arrived  at  four  o'clock. 
Transports  were  at  the  wharf  with  steam  up  ;  we  marched 
on  board  the;  'w  Maple  Leaf,"  one  of  the  largest,  unloaded 
our  knapsacks,  and  at  six  o'clock  started  for  Yorktown. 
We  steamed  past  Fortress  Monroe  and  up  the  bay  till 
shrouded  in  darkness,  and  then  on — stopping  only  one  hour 
in  the  night — till  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  20th. 
We  made  a  run  of  seventy  or  eighty  miles  during  the  night. 
A  few  comrades  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  sleeping  on  the  hurri 
cane  deck  and  breathing  the  pure  air  of  heaven  on  a  warm 
summer  night.  We  disembarked  early,  and,  in  due  time, 
with  music  sounding  and  colors  flying,  marched  through  the 
streets  of  dirty,  straggling,  dilapidated  Yorktown. 

On  the  opposite  shore  was  Gloucester.  All  about  us  were 
the  old  fortifications  of  the  rebels,  and  the  remains  of  the 
more  ancient  ones  of  Revolutionary  days.  We  were  doubt 
less  in  the  field  and  near  by  the  tree,  where,  tradition  says, 
Cornwallis  delivered  up  his  sword  to  AVashington,  or  rather 
to  Lincoln,  to  whom  Washington,  for  good  reasons,  required 
that  Cornwallis  should  surrender. 

CAMP    AT    YORKTOWN. 

We  at  once  moved  to  a  pleasant  location  near  by  springs 
of  excellent  water,  not  far  from  York  river,  and  near  a  fine 


186  HISTORY    OF    THE 

long  beach  overhung  by  a  high,  romantic  bluff.  On  the  left 
and  northward,  on  the  opposite  shore,  was  Gloucester  Point, 
with  its  camps  and  dwellings,  stretching  out  to  meet  the 
bluff  on  this  side,  while  the  many  and  various  crafts  in  view 
added  to  the  picturesqucness  of  the  effect.  Here,  for  a 
while,  the  boys  had  glorious  times  in  salt  water  bathing, 
and,  in  the  language  of  another,  "All  Saturday  and  Sunday, 
York  river  was  kept  in  lively  commotion  by  Rhode  Islanders." 

On  our  camp-ground  was  the  celebrated  tree  in  which  the 
rebel  darkey  sharp-shooter  was  shot  by  "California  Joe." 
It  then  lay  on  its  side,  twenty-one  feet  in  circumference  and 
hollow,  and  was  used  by  our  regiment  for  a  guard-house. 

The  Twenty-second  Connecticut,  our  old  neighbors  on 
Miner's  Hill,  were  camped  near  us  awaiting  transportation' 
home.  In  the  evening  before  we  left,  the  officers  of  that 
regiment  invited  the  officers  of  the  Kleventh  to  enjoy  a  part 
ing  social  entertainment.  They  accepted,  and,  in  spite  of  a 
drenching  rain,  came  back  well  pleased  with  their  reception. 

THE    MARCH    FOR    WILLIAMSBUIHi. 

Our  last  brigade  inspection  was  on  Sunday,  the  21st. 
The  morning  was  pleasant ;  night  brought  thunder  and  rain. 
This  made  mud  on  the  roads  for  the  next  day,  but  also  saved 
us  from  the  dust.  So,  on  Monday  morning,  in  light  march 
ing  order,  required,  without  rhyme  or  reason,  to  take  one 
hundred  rounds  of  cartridges  upon  our  persons,  we  started 
for  the  forts  near  Williamsburg.  The  route  of  about  twelve 
miles  was  through  a  pleasant  country,  more  undulating  than 
around  the  Blackwater,  and  instead  of  sand  ankle  deep,  we 
moved  on  a  hard  road  with  a  "  right  smart "  sprinkling  of 
mud  and  water.  A  slight  mist  enshrouded  the  sun  and  tem 
pered  the  heat  of  this  longest  day  in  summer.  Judgment 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  187 

coupled  with  mercy  made  this  march,  from  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning  till  five  in  the  afternoon,  a  mere  excursion,  com 
pared  with  our  race  to  the  Hlackwater.  We  had  nearly  or 
quite  three  hours  of  halting,  including  that  for  dinner,  in 
cool  and  shady  places.  We  moved  with  the  brigade,  which 
included,  with  the  Eleventh,  five  regiments,  the  One  Hundred 
arid  Thirtieth  New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-second 
New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-seventh  Pennsylvania, 
Twenty-sixth  Michigan,  and  a  battalion  of  sharp-shooters. 

Soon  after  our  halt,  at  five  o'clock  p.  M.,  an  order  came 
for  the  rest  of  the  brigade  to  move  on  twelve  miles  further, 
while  we  were  to  report  to  Col.  West,  at  Fort  Magruder. 
Our  brass  band  accompanied  the  brigade  a  mile  or  more  in 
the  direction  of  Williamsburg,  Col.  Church  and  staff  riding 
at  the  head  of  the  column  with  Col.  Gibbs  and  staff,  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  New  York.  In  due  time  they 
halted  and  the  officers  bade  good-bye  to  the  various  regi 
ments.  As  they  marched  past  they  gave  the  Eleventh  and 
their  band  three  cheers,  and  moved  on,  as  we  then  thought, 
to  Richmond. 

Night  foun:l  tli3  various  companies  of  tli3  ragimant  dis 
tributed  in  the  many  forts  in  that  locality — well  built  and 
designed  to  resist  the  march  of  McClellan  to  Richmond. 
Previous  to  our  occupancy,  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty- 
ninth  New  York  were  stationed  in  these  forts.  They  joined 
the  force  that  was  then  moving  up  the  Peninsula.  Compa 
nies  A  and  D  occupied  Fort  Magruder,  Company  B  occupied 
the  camp  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-ninth  New  York, 
where  also  our  Colonel  and  staff  made  their  headquarters. 
Companies  F  and  K  occupied  redoubts  still  further  to  the 
left.  The  other  companies  were  posted  in  the  redoubts  to 
the  right  of  Fort  Magruder  and  near  to  Williamsburg. 


188  HISTORY    OF    THE 

Near  by  were  the  "battle-fields  where  Hooker  and 
Heintzleman  fought  the  rebels  the  summer  previous.  There 
were  many  graves  and  other  evidences  of  a  severe  contest. 
The  ground  was  thickly  stfewn  with  cartridge  boxes,  belts, 
etc.,  perforated  with  bullets." 

There  was  abundant  opportunity,  diligently  improved, 
for  the  regiment  to  recruit  the  health  and  strength  lost  in 
the  Blackwater  march.  The  duty  in  the  fort  and  redoubts 
was  light.  It  consisted  of  guard  duty  and  some  drilling  in 
the  manual.  There  was  an  abundance  of  early  fruit,  and 
the  men  made  the  most  of  their  isolated  position  to  supply 
the  natural  cravings  of  the  inner  man  with  things  so  juicy. 

4 1  HOMEWARD    BOUND. ' ' 

As  the  last  day  of  our  term  of  service,  according  to  our 
muster  roll,  drew  nigh,  the  men  grew  more  anxious,  pricked 
up  their  ears  to  every  sight  and  sign  that  gave  hope  of  relief 
from  duty  in  the  forts,  and  awaited  impatiently  the  order  to 
march  to  Yorktown  and  take  the  transport  for  Rhode  Island. 
There  were  discussions  and  misgivings,  but  early  in  the 
evening,  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-eighth  New  York  came 
to  relieve  us,  and  at  about  nine  o'clock  the  various  compa 
nies  began  to  move  under  orders,  to  the  place  of  rendezvous. 
Strength  was  renewed,  steps  light,  faces  short,  words  of 
cheer  were  spoken,  and,  at  last,  about  half-past  ten  o'clock, 
the  column  moved  towards  Yorktown,  inspirited  for  a  while 
by  music  from  the  band,  and  favored  by  the  most  glorious 
moonlight. 

We  entered  Yorktown  to  the  music  of  the  band  about 
four  o'clock  iii  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  July,  had  a  merry 
greeting  from  those  who  had  remained  behind,  took  some 
refreshment,  and  as  many  as  chose  sought  sleep.  The  day 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  189 

was  spent  in  putting  guns  and  equipments   in   order  for  the 
homeward  voyage. 

ANOTHER    DEATH WAITING    FOR    THE    FINAL    ORDER. 

One  more  man  was  called  to  his  long  home  just  as  he 
could  almost  see  the  "promised  land."  William  P>.  Clark, 
a  member  of  Company  I,  and  a  leading  musician  of  the 
brass  band,  died  at  Suffolk  of  typhoid  fever,  while  the  com 
pany  were  at  Williamsburg.  On  account  of  the  position  he 
held,  his  death  was  a  serious  loss  to  the  regiment,  while 
Company  I  mourned  the  only  loss  of  a  comrade,  either  by 
disease  or  any  cause,  at  a  time  when  their  separation  from  him 
prevented  their  paying  the  last  honors  to  his  memory.  They 
hoped  that  he  went  to  that  "better  land"  where  his  warfare 
is  forever  ended,  where  the  "inhabitant  shall  never  say  'I 
am  sick,'"  where  "all  is  happiness  and  all  is  peace." 

On  our  arrival  at  Yorktown,  the  propeller  transport, 
"John  liice,"  was  at  the  wharf  to  take  us  home;  but  to 
our  disappointment,  an  accident  to  her  machinery  obliged 
her  to  go  to  Norfolk  for  repairs,  and,  although  the  Colonel 
made  repeated  efforts  to  procure  other  and  speedier  transpor 
tation,  we  were  compelled  to  await  her  return  before  we 
could  proceed  on  our  way  to  our  "Land  of  Promise." 

The  Duke  of  Wellington  is  said  to  have  remarked  that 
"two-thirds  of  a  soldier's  life  is  made  up  of  waiting."  Our 
waiting,  however,  at  that  time,  was  improved  by  the  men 
in  the  most  satisfactory  way.  Bathing  was  at  a  premium. 
Oysters  were  bought  at  a  reasonable  price.  Blackberries 
could  be  had  in  abundance  for  the  picking,  and  some  of  the 
latter  were  of  the  largest  dimensions  ;  contrabands  brought 
cherries,  pies,  biscuit,  and  other  fixings.  Sutlers  were  as 
ready  to  shave  as  ever,  and  they  were  on  hand  to  accommo 
date  the  soldiers. 


190  HISTORY    OF    TTTE 

Among  the  last  things  to  be  recorded,  we  name  the  enter 
tainment  of  the  band,  which  had  previously  serenaded  him 
at  Williamsburg,  by  Lieut.  Henri.  E.  Bacon,  of  Company 
F,  who,  for  some  time  previous,  had  been  acting  as  Division 
Commissary.  Music  and  mirth  were  the  prominent  features 
of  the  occasion.  A  large  number  of  officers  were  also 
present. 

NEAREST    TO     RICHMOND. 

"Twelve  men  of  Company  B,  under  command  of  Sergt. 
John  R.  Anderson,  made  an  excursion  to  the  'White  House' 
on  the  James  river,  last  week  ;  having  been  nearer  to  Rich 
mond  than  any  other  portion  of  the  regiment.  They  were 
detailed  on  Friday  night  as  rear  guard  to  a  forage  train, 
bound  nine  miles  out  from  Williamsburg,  but  their  journey 
was  prolonged  until  they  unexpectedly  found  themselves  at 
the  White  House  landing.  They  took  transportation  from 
that  place  to  Yorktown,  where  they  arrived  Sunday  night. 
They  represent  that  they  were  amply  repaid  for  their  trip, 
by  the  sights  which  they  saw  on  the  Peninsula." 

ON    DUTY    AFTER    DATE. 

The  men  became  somewhat  uneasy  and  discontented 
because  of  the  strict  cam})  guard  and  company  and  battalion 
drill  which  the  Colonel  ordered  on  the  second  day  after  our 
return  to  Yorktown,  and  continued  till  the  day  of  our  depart 
ure.  They  believed  that  their  time  had  fully  expired,  and 
having,  perhaps,  too  much  of  the  independence  of  Yankees, 
and  too  keen  a  sense  of  justice,  would  have  more  cheerfully 
drilled  upon  a  request  than  upon  orders,  which  they  felt 
compelled  to  obey.  The  camp  guard  would  have  been  more 


ELEVENTH    KEGIMENT.  191 

effective  a  month  previous.  A  few  men  went  so  far  as  to 
refuse  to  drill,  and  were  made  the  subjects  of  a  severe  order 
at  our  last  dress-parade,  which  was  afterwards  revoked,  as 
many  of  us  believed  it  would  be. 

FOR  "HOME,  SWEET  HOME." 

But  "all's  well  that  ends  well,"  and  Thursday,  July  2d, 
the  time  of  our  redemption  evidently  drew  nigh.  Suddenly, 
just  at  candle-light,  came  the  order  to  pack  up,  strike  tents 
and  be  ready  to  start  for  Rhode  Island.  Then  there  was  a 
merry  time.  Bonfires  were  lighted  and  the  work  of  mak 
ing  ready  was  spqedily  done.  The  music  of  the  band 
sounded  out  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  for  the  first  time  in 
nine  long  months.  We  waited  till  near  midnight  and  then 
formed  in  line,  knapsacks  strapped  upon  our  backs,  and 
marched  to  the  steamer's  wharf  at  Yorktown.  The  ba^- 

O 

gage  and  sick  men  were  first  conveyed  to  the  vessel,  but 
owing  to  a  scarcity  of  teams  it  took  a  long  time  to  load  up  the 
quartermaster's  stores,  and  we  were  ordered  to  stack  aims 
and  lie  down  upon  the  wharf  and  beach,  and  make  ourselves 
comfortable  until  further  orders.  We  slept  on  the  soft  sand, 
with  only  the  sky  and  stars  above  us  once  more,  until  a 
flood  of  golden  light,  streaming  across  the  water,  warned  us 
of  sunrise.  Soon  after,  we  filed  on  board  the  steamer  with 
two  days'  extra  rations,  which  we  were  ordered  to  take,  and 
novvhere  to  stow  them.  Many  a  man  walked  on  board  the 
vessel  with  a  loaf  of  bread  under  each  arm,  as  Franklin,  a 
hundred  years  before,  walked  the  streets  of  Philadelphia. 

THE    STOWAGE    OF    THE    ".JOHN    RICE." 

At  half-past  six  o'clock,  we  were  fairly  under  way ; 
crowded  into  a  propeller  which  had  sometimes  been  more 


192  HISTORY    OF    THE 

crowded,  and  on  we  sailed  out  of  Chesapeake  bay  in  a  few 
hours,  past  Capes  Charles  and  Henry,  and  up  the  Maryland 
shore,  till  darkness  and  fatigue  forced  us  to  try  to  sleep. 
Two  companies  occupied  the  hold,  to  be  relieved  once  in 
eight  hours — a  place  with  no  pure  air  and  no  light,  except 
what  stole  in  ;  three  companies  were  'midships — a  little  bet 
ter  ;  the  other  companies  were  disposed  on  deck,  all  to  take 
their  turn  in  due  time  in  the  hold.  A  small  regiment  of 
dogs,  pets  of  men  and  officers,  did  not  help  matters,  but  fur 
nished  many  ludicrous  as  well  as  annoying  scenes.  There 
was  no  small  stock  of  servants  on  board,  increasing  the  dis 
comfort.  So,  when  sleeping  time  came,  thirteen  inches  by 
six  feet  was  a  large  allowance  for  any  nian,  and  very  many 
did  not  have  that.  We  must  not  forget  the  horses,  next  to 
the  heels  of  which  quite  a  number  gladly  made  their  beds. 
Any  dirty  hovel  in  our  native  State,  and  many  a  stable,  was 
cleaner  than  where  we  slept.  We  were  soldiers,  however, 
and  had  been  accustomed  to  lie  down  on  the  roadside  under 
a  heavy  dew  and  take  a  snooze,  and  were  not  to  bo  fright 
ened  by  such  accommodation  ;  besides,  we  were  bound  for 
home,  where  we  should  soon  be  able  to  sing, 

"  When  the  shore  is  won  at  last, 
Who  will  count  the  billows  past?  " 

A    SAD    EVENT. 

One  event,  sadder  than  that  recently  recounted,  occurred 
on  the  afternoon  of  our  first  day's  sail.  Comrade  Frank 
Bliss,  of  Company  B,  who  went  on  board  very  sick,  died. 
It  was  understood  that  there  was  no  hope  of  his  recovery, 
and  that  it  would  bo  a  consolation  to  his  friends  to  take  his 
remains  home,  that  his  dust  might  not  be  buried  among 
strangers,  and  remain  there  for  months.  Just  previous  to 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  193 

our  leaving,  he  was  confined  for  several  days  in  the  Nelson 
Hospital  in  Yorktown.  He  was  a  son  of  the  late  Capt. 
Albert  Bliss,  of  Pawtucket,  and  was  a  young  man  of  fine 
qualities. 

THE  "GLORIOUS  FOURTH." 

On  the  4th  of  July — how  strange  a  day  to  us — \ve  were 
still  favored  with  fair  weather.  "The  steamer  was  gaily 
decorated  with  flags  ;  the  band  played  national  airs,  and 
cheer  upon  cheer  was  given  by  the  men  for  the  'old  flag.' 
As  the  hours  sped  on  we  passed  point  after  point,  familiar, 
and  about  five  o'clock  p.  M.,  entered  the  Narrows  and 
steamed  directly  up  to  the  great  city  of  'Gotham.'  Soon 
after  we  passed  the  '  Highlands,'  we  began  to  meet  various 
steam  and  sail  craft  that  gave  us  cheers  of  welcome,  to  which 
we  heartily  responded.  The  people  on  the  shore  waved 
their  hats  and  kerchiefs,  and  as  we  approached  the  city  it 
was  one  continued  cheer,  and  response  from  the  vessels  in 
the  harbor  and  the  people  on  the  land.  The  multitudes  of 
flags  on  the  shipping,  the  firing  of  salutes,  and  the  unceas 
ing  popping  made  it  plain  that  it  was  "Independence  Day." 

Thirty-six  hours  from  Yorktown,  about  half-past  six,  we 
cast  anchor.  The  Colonel  went  ashore  and  reported,  and, 
to  our  disappointment,  we  learned  in  an  hour  or  two  that 
we  must  remain  in  those  cramped. quarters  another  night 
and  start  for  Providence  in  the  morning.  We  hoped  that 
we  should  have  been  transferred  to  one  of  our  large  Sound 
steamers  and  have  a  bit  of  room  to  stir  round,  but  there 
was  no  alternative. 

The   day   was    made   doubly   glorious   by   the   news   that 

flashed  over  the  wires,  electrifying  the  nation,  of  the  victory 

at  Gettysburg  and  the  fall  of  Vicksburg,   the  key-note   of 

triumph  to  the  loyal  north,  the  death  knell  of  the  slave-hold- 

17 


HISTORY    OF    THE 

ing  Confederacy  in  the  south.  The  cloud  of  gloom  that 
enveloped  the  land  when  we  left  our  homes,  thinned  slightly 
at  the  issue  of  the  emancipation  proclamation  after  the  hat- 
tie  of  Antietam,  was  plainly  dissipating,  and  the  rift  in  the 
clouds  and  the  gleams  of  sunshine  were  clearly  seen. 
There  were  battles  yet  to  be  fought.  A  cordon  of  fire  must 
encompass  the  South.  The  death  struggle  was  yet  to  come. 
But  the  God  of  battles  had  decreed  the  doom  of  slavery, 
the  deliverance  x>f  four  millions  of  bondmen,  and  the  tri 
umph  of  free  institutions.  We  could  have  reached  home  in 
no  better  hour. 

We  remained  in  New  York  harbor  all  night.  "'•And  such 
a  nil/hi,  language  is  too  feeble  for  a  description.  The  eight 
hundred  or  more  men  on  board  the  'John  Rice '  will  ever 
remember  it.  Soldiers,  contrabands,  horses,  dogs,  cats, 
etc.,  all  mingled  together,  trying — that  is  all,  only  trying — to 
sleep."  We  have  given  the  language  of  "A.  D.  N.,"  and 
the  comrades  will  perceive  that  it  is  not  overdrawn. 

We  were  up  bright  and  early  Sunday  morning,  and 
waited  anxiously  for  '•'something  to  turn  up."  Some  of 
the  men  jumped  into  the  boats  that  came  along-side  and 
went  ashore  without  leave.  A  number  of  the  officers  also 
went  ashore,  and  some  twenty  or  thirty  men  were  detailed 
to  land  and  purchase  articles  for  the  men  of  the  various 
companies  ;  but  the  pilots  that  were  to  take  us  through  the 
"  Gate  "  and  the  Sound  came  aboard,  and  just  as  our  detailed 
men  started  for  the  steamer,  the  "tide  could  wait  for  no 
man,"  and  we  were  compelled  to  leave  them  behind. 

We  had  a  fine  passage  through  the  East  river.  "We 
were  continually  saluted  by  passing  steamers,  and  cheers 
were  given  and  handkerchiefs  waved  by  the  passengers 
thereon."  Rain  set  in  and  it  fell  moderately  for  several 
hours,  though  at  noon  there  were  indications  that  it  would 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  195 

soon  be  clear  ;  but  we  had  showers  at  intervals  far  into  the 
night,  some  of  them  quite  brisk.  At  ten  o'clock  it  slackened 
op  and  we  were  lost  in  a  fog.  ''The  Sound  all  this  time 
was  as  calm  as  a  mill-pond,  which  was  much  to  our  comfort 
and  convenience."  We  anchored  for  the  night  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Thames  river,  Connecticut. 

Sunrise  Monday  morning  revealed  our  position  to  be  off 
Plumb  island.  We  groaned  inwardly,  but  were  unable  to 
start  until  after  five  o'clock.  After  cruising  about  for  an 
hour  we  found  ourselves  headed  for  Point  Judith,  which  we 
made  about  ten  o'clock.  We  soon  had  a  sight  of  Newport, 
and  realized  that  we  were  Hearing  home.  "The  sun  shone 
brightly,  and  we  had  a  very  agreeable  sail  up  Narragansett 
bay,  arriving  at  Fox  Point,  Providence,  at  two  o'clock, 
which  city  we  left  just  nine  months  previous,  to  a  day." 

How  we  were  received  by  relatives  and  friends,  by  the 
citizens  of  Providence  and  the  neighboring  towns,  by  the 
Governor  of  the  State  and  the  citizen  soldiery  of  Rhode 
Island,  we  leave  for  the  newspapers  of  that  date  to  relate 
and  incorporate  it  in  this  history. 

By  way  of  recapitulation  we  add  :  The  Eleventh  Rhode 
Island  entered  its  country's  service  in  a  time  of  need.  It 
honorably  discharged  all  the  duties  the  government  imposed 
upon  it.  At  no  time  was  it  reprimanded  for  unfaithfulness 
in  the  performance  of  duty,  but,  on  the  contrary,  received 
the  hearty  commendation  of  the  division  commanders  under 
whose  orders  it  served.  It  was  in  the  outposts  of  Washing 
ton  when  Stewart's  cavalry  raided  at  will  around  our  lines, 
and  it  was  not  their  fault  that  lie  was  not  stopped  in  his  dar 
ing  career.  We  have  credible  information  that  it  saved  to  the 
government  two  thousand  soldiers  while  guarding  the  Con 
valescent  Camp,  a  duty  as  arduous,  as  disagreeable,  and  as 
inglorious  as  a  regiment  could  be  put  to,  but  as  necessary  to 


196  HISTORY    OF    THE 

be  performed  as  the  storming  of  a  battery.  It  fulfilled  all 
the  duties  required  of  it  at  the  siege  of  Suffolk,  building 
earthworks,  supporting  batteries,  and  in  the  trenches.  It 
performed  its  part  in  two  expeditions  to  the  Blackwater 
river,  and  in  one  of  these  made  a  march  of  six  days  in  the 
intensest  heat  of  a  summer  sun  with  the  fortitude  of  soldiers 
long  in  the  service.  It  was  prompt  and  energetic  in  every 
movement,  and  showed  its  fighting  qualities  in  its  skirmish 
ing  with  the  enemy  in  the  Blackwater  raids ;  the  only 
opportunity  offered  it  in  the  whole  period  of  its  enlistment. 

Its  share  in  crushing  the  rebellion  ivas  unique,  but  with 
out  its  record  the  history  of  Rhode  Island  in  the  Rebellion 
would  be  incomplete.  As  each  individual  in  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  if  faithful  to  his  vows  and  to  his 
country,  performed  an  honorable  duty  in  the  great  work  of 
saving  the  Union,  so  the  Eleventh  Rhode  Island  bore  its 
proper  part  among  the  thousands  of  regiments  who  battled 
for  that  glorious  flag,,  that,  washed  and  renewed  in  the  blood 
of  heroes,  blessed  by  Heaven  in  its  triumphant  career,  shall 
henceforth  and  evermore  represent  Liberty  indeed. 

The  regiment  were  mustered  out  of  the  service  of  the 
United  States  and  paid  off  on  Monday,  the  13th  day  of 
July.  In  the  Appendix  will  be  found  the  roster  of  the 
regiment,  arid  some  other  matter  which  could  not  be  procured 
in  time  for  the  body  of  this  work. 


ELEVENTH    KKUI.MKNT.  1JJ7 

RECEPTION    OF    THE    ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 
[From  the  Providence  Journal,  July  7th.] 

The  Eleventh  regiment,  Col.  Church,  arrived  home  yesterday 
afternoon,  from  their  nine  months'  service  in  the  army  of  the  United 
States.  The  boat,  that  was  expected  at  daylight,  did  not  arrive 
until  two  o'clock,  and  its  appearance  was  hailed  with  huge  delight 
by  the  thousands  who  had  waited  in  the  vicinity  of  the  dock  ever 
since  the  sunrise  bell  broke  upon  their  uneasy  slumbers. 

Col.  Paine 's  regiment  was  on  hand  to  receive  the  returning  vol 
unteers  as  they  debarked,  and  upon  the  formation  of  the  line  on 
Benefit  street,  after  a  marching  salute,  proceeded  to  escort  them 
through  the  principal  streets  to  the  inspiring  notes  of  the  American 
Brass  Band. 

Everywhere  along  the  line  the  returned  soldiers  were  greeted 
with  loud  huzzas  from  sidewalks  closely  packed,  and  Moral  offerings 
were  showered  upon  them  by  fair  hands  from  the  windows  of  num 
berless  mansions.  Flags  were  floating  from  every  flag-staff,  and 
every  honor  and  attention  was  shown  to  our  soldier-friends. 

The  route  of  march  terminated  in  Exchange  Place,  that  at  four 
o'clock  was  one  dense  mass  of  humanity,  each  individual  of  which 
seemed  anxious  to  extend  a  closer  and  warmer  greeting  to  some 
son  or  brother,  or  perhaps  some  one  still  dearer,  in  the  ranks  of  the 
bronzed  soldiers  of  the  Eleventh.  After  the  halt,  His  Excellency 
Gov.  Smith  welcomed  home  the  regiment  in  a  neat  speech,  substan 
tially  as  follows: 

"I  am  most  happy  to  welcome  you,  Col.  Church,  your  officers  and 
command,  to  Rhode  Island  again,  and  thank  you  in  the  name  of 
the  State  for  your  noble  defence  of  our  country. 

"  I  do  not  feel  at  liberty  to  detain  you  longer  at  this  time,  as  you 
must  be  anxious  to  visit  your  homes;  and  I  notice  other  gentlemen 
present  who  desire  to  address  you,  and  therefore  will  only  say,  once 
more,  God  bless  you!  We  thank  you  and  welcome  you  to  our  quiet 
State." 

Col.  Church  responded  to  the  kind  words  of  His  Excellency  as 
follows: 

"  We  owe  you  a  debt  of  no  ordinary  gratitude  for  this  warm  wel 
come  home,  but  that  feeling  which  flows  from  the  wild  extremes  of 
a  soldier's  nature — gratitude  the  purer  from  its  rough  surroundings. 

"  We  feel  already  amply  repaid  for  the  fatigues  and  dangers  of 
war,  in  the  conscious  pride  of  having  done  our  duty  to  our  countrv 


198  HISTORY    OF    THE 

in  this  life-struggle  for  nationality.  We  could  not  well  feel  other 
wise  when  we  consider  that  from  the  breasts  of  New  England 
mothers  we  nursed  that  heroic  spirit  which  renders  Rhode  Island 
prowess  famous  on  every  bloody  field  of  the  war.  Conscious  in 
every  contest  that,  Spartan-like,  no  Rhode  Island  mother  would 
welcome  home  a  son  who  had  not  done  his  duty  to  his  coun 
try,  we  have  preferred  to  court  rather  than  shuji  dangers;  but 
yet,  while  battling  for  an  undivided  land,  we  are  not  unmindful  of 
the  sad  fact  that  it  is  that  most  horrible  of  strife — civil  warfare.  In 
common  with  us,  our  brothers  of  the  south,  shoulder  to  shoulder, 
left  their  bloody  footprints  upon  the  frozen  snows  of  the  Revolution. 
Now,  how  sadly  changed!  Wily  and  ambitious  leaders  rule  their 
councils,  and  have  pushed  the  war  with  such  fearful  energy  that 
the  whole  land,  from  the  ocean  shore  to  the  granite  ribs  of  our 
Rocky  Mountains,  trembles  for  the  solution  of  the  problem — a  slave 
Empire  or  an  undivided  Republic. 

"If  we  are  but  true  to  ourselves  this  terrible  struggle  must  end 
in  the  complete  overthrow  of  the  rebellion.  Peace  by  compromise 
is  but  another  term  for  a  future  bloody  deluge  more  fearful  than 
the  present.  The  crushing  of  the  rebellion  must  be  absolute;  rather 
than  see  it  otherwise,  I,  for  one,  wotild  welcome  the  union  of  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  over  our  once  happy  America. 

"  Again,  in  the  name  of  the  Eleventh  Rhode  Island  Volunteers, 
let  me  thank  the  people  of  Rhode  Island  for  this  enthusiastic  recep 
tion.  A  thousand  times  you  repay  our  warlike  toils;  and  a  thou 
sand  happy  memories  shall,  in  the  future,  cling  around  our  hearts 
when  we  remember  this  '  welcome  home.'  " 

A  generous  collation,  provided  by  L.  H.  Humphreys,  in  Railroad 
Hall,  was  then  partaken  by  the  troops,  with  a  zest  by  no  means 
impaired  by  prolonged  fasting. 

The  regiment  returns  in  excellent  condition,  with  eight  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  enlisted  men,  and  thirty-eight  officers;  leaving 
behind,  fifty-five  men  in  hospitals,  one  commissioned  officer  on 
detatched  service,  and  three  privates.  Fifteen  or  twenty  of  those 
who  came  on  were  sick.  During  the  term  of  service  there  have 
been  only  six  deaths. 

After  the  collation,  the  regiment  marched  to  the  Fall  River  Iron 
Works  Company's  building,  deposited  their  equipments,  and  were 
then  dismissed  till  Thursday  morning  at  eight  o'clock. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  199 


[From  the  Providence  Evening  Press,  July  7th.] 

The  Eleventh  regiment  arrived  at  Fox  Point  on  the  steamer  John 
Rice,  Capt.  Beason,  shortly  before  two  o'clock  this  afternoon.*  The 
news  of  the  event  spread  rapidly,  and  almost  immediately  an 
immense  crowd  of  people  assembled  to  welcome  the  returned  sol 
diers,  taking  the  place  of  those  who,  fatigiied  by  long  waiting,  had 
left  the  wharf. 

The  regiment  disembarked  without  any  delay.  Cheers  and  wav 
ing  of  handkerchiefs  testified  the  delight  of  the  multitude  at  their 
return.  They  come  back  eight  hundred  and  seventy-six  strong- 
eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight  enlisted  men  and  thirty-eight  com 
missioned  officers.  The  regiment  has,  during  its  campaign,  lost 
sixty  by  discharge  and  six  more  by  death.  It  has  fifty-five  mem 
bers  now  in  the  general  hospital.  One  commissioned  officer  is  Com 
missary  on  Gen.  Gordon's  staff,  and  three  men  besides  are  detatched. 
Twenty-five  sick  men  came  011  on  board  the  propeller,  including 
two  commissioned  officers. 

The  regiment  was  received  on  Benefit  street  by  Col.  Paine's  regi 
ment  and  escorted  through  Benefit,  Meeting,  North  Main,  West 
minster,  Broad,  and  Exchange  streets  to  Exchange  place. 

A  collation  was  served  in  Railroad  Hall.  His  Excellency  Gov. 
Smith  addressed  the  regiment  as  follows: 

''lam  most  happy  to  welcome  you,  Col.  Church,  your  officers 
and  command,  to  Rhode  Island  again,  and  thank  you  in  the  name 
of  the  State  for  your  noble  defence  of  our  country.  I  do  not  feel  at 
liberty  to  detain  you  longer  at  this  time,  as  you  must  be  anxious  to 
visit  your  homes,  and  I  notice  other  gentlemen  present  who  desire 
to  address  you,  and  therefore  say  once  more,  God  bless  you,  we 
thank  you  and  welcome  you  to  our  quiet  State." 

Col.  Church  made  a  felicitous  response.  The  collation  was  par 
taken  with  a  keen  relish.  The  regiment  then  marched  to  the  Fall 
River  Iron  Works  building,  deposited  their  arms  and  equipments, 
and  were  dismissed  till  Thursday  morning,  at  eight  o'clock,  when 
it  is  expected  they  will  be  mustered  out  of  service. 

*,luly  6th. 


200  HISTORY    OF    THE 


[From  the  Pawtucket  Gazette  and  Chronicle  of  July  10th. ] 

The  Eleventh  Rhode  Island  regiment  arrived  home  from  their 
nine  months'  service,  on  Monday  last.  They  were  handsomely 
received  in  Providence,  where  a  collation  had  been  provided  for  the 
occasion.  After  partaking  of  the  refreshments  the  regiment  relieved 
themselves  of  their  arms  and  equipments,  and  were  dismissed  until 
yesterday  morning. 

The  meeting  at  the  Town  Hall,  Pawtucket,  on  the  evening  of  the 
3d  instant,  appointed  an  efficient  committee  to  make  arrangements 
for  the  reception  in  this  place  of  Company  B,  of  the  Eleventh, 
Capt.  Thrasher.  These  arrangements  were  made  to  include  Com 
pany  F,  Capt.  Taft.  The  companies  were  expected  on  Monday 
last,  but  there  was  uncertainty  as  to  what  hour  they  would  arrive, 
and  the  Home  Guard  and  officers  of  the  Light  Guard  were  dressed 
and  in  waiting  for  them  a  considerable  portion  of  the  day.  They 
arrived  at  the  depot  a  little  before  six  o'clock,  and  were  greeted 
with  artillery,  the  ringing  of  bells,  and  other  demonstrations  of 
respect  and  kindness.  After  the  usual  reception,  a  line  was  formed 
and  moved  through  the  principal  streets,  including  a  march  to  Cen 
tral  Falls  and  back.  Arriving  at  the  armory,  a  bountiful  collation 
was  partaken  of,  and  then — with  excellent  judgment,  we  thought — 
the  companies  were  dismissed  without  being  detained  to  listen  to 
speeches,  toasts,  or  anything  of  the  kind.  We  think  it  was  more 
their  desire  to  be  relieved  from  military  discipline,  get  to  their 
homes  and  rest,  and  receive  the  greetings  of  those  from  whom  they 
had  so  long  been  separated,  than  to  be  the  recipients  of  any  farther 
public  attentions.  It  is  proper  to  add  that  in  marching  through  the 
streets  they  were  greeted  with  cheers,  the  waving  of  handkerchiefs, 
and  so  forth. 

The  men  are  very  much  bronzed  by  their  exposure  to  a  southern 
sun,  but  generally  appear  to  be  in  good  health. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT.  201 


APPENDIX. 


ROSTER  OF  THE  REGIMENT. 


FIELD   AND   STAFF   OFFICERS. 

Colonels,  Assistant  Surgeons. 

Edwin  Metcalf,  George  H.  Taft, 

Horatio  Rogers,  Jr.,  Joseph  \V.  Grosvenor. 

George  E.  Church. 

Chaplain. 

Lieutenant  Colonel.  J.  B.  Gould. 

J.  Talbot  Pitman. 

Sergeant  Majors. 

Major.  John  Pitman,  Jr., 

Nathan  F.  Moss.  Charles  H.  Scott. 

Adjutant.  Quartermaster  Sergeant. 

Robert  Fessenden.  Samuel  W.  Tillinghast. 

Quartermaster.  Commissary  Sergeant. 

Henry  S.  Olney.  James  Zimmerman. 

Surgeon.  Hospital  Steward. 

Thomas  W.  Perry.  *Jacob  S.  Pervear,  Jr. 

*  Those  whose  names  are  marked  with  a  *  died  in  the  service. 


202 


HISTORY    OF   THE 


Captains. 
James  H.  Allen, 
William  H.  Ayer. 

First  Lieutenants. 
"William  H.  Ayer, 
Frank  R.  Dennis. 

Second  Lieutenants 
William  E.  Clarke, 
Ira  B.  Wilson. 

Sergeants. 
William  T.  Luther, 
Samuel  Graf  ton, 
Henry  K.  Potter, 
Frank  Taft, 
Thomas  Read. 

Adams,  George  H. 
Babeock,  Henry  M 
Bernhard,  William 
Bo  wen,  Andrew 
Bowen,  William  G. 
Boley,  Jacob 
Bradley,  Michael 
Bradford,  Edward  F. 
Brandley,  John 
Brown,  George  J. 
Briggs,  Edmund 
Butts,  James  P.,  Jr. 
Butts,  Horace  R. 
Brown,  Thomas  H. 
Butts,  Robert  J. 
Bassett,  William 
Brown,  Thomas  H. 
Campbell,  James 
Carder,  William  H. 
Chappell,  William  F. 
Chrystal,  Charles  P. 
Cheene,  Michael 
Clarke,  Joseph  H. 


COMPANY  A. 

Corporals. 
James  E.  Hill, 
James  G.  Brown, 
Frederic  S.  Luther, 
Henry  W.  Taber, 
Frederic  A.  Studley, 
Ehenezer  W.  Percival, 
Charles  M.  Packard, 
John  F.  Paine. 

Musicians. 
Edwin  R.  Burr, 
Edwin  J.  Pond. 

Wagoner. 
Michael  White. 


Privates. 

C lenience,  Henry  T. 
Coggeshall,  Durfee  W. 
Collins,  Charles  H. 
Conroy,  James 
Cozzens,  Charles 
Cozzens,  Nathaniel  W. 
Dodge,  Mark 
Dunbar,  William  L. 
Evans,  Henry 
Fish,  William  H. 
Frankland,  William 
Galen,  Andrew 
Gifford,  Nelson 
Gilmore,  Darius 
Goodrich,  Jacob  M. 
Goff,  Pardon  G. 
Goulding,  James 
Grant,  George  W. 
Graves,  Joseph  N. 
Gal  Ian,  John  G. 
Griffin,  James  S. 
Griffin,  John  H. 
Gurney,  Eugene  P. 


K I ,  K  V  K  \  T 1 1    K  KG  I M  E X  T . 


Hathaway,  William 
Hill,  Robert  R. 
Hicks,  Ilol)crt  W. 
Hogan,  Roger 
Hopkins,  James  H. 
Jefferson,  Walter  T. 
Johnson,  Edwin  L. 
Keenen,  William 
Leonard,  John 
Leonard,  Lloyd  F. 
Little,  Thomas 
Logan,  Edward 
McCaffrey,  John 
Midland,  Thomas 
Paine,  Lorenzo  T. 
Peck,  John  F. 
Pine,  Charles  H. 
Potts,  Jeremiah 
Presby,  James  W. 


Prospsrt,  John  H. 
Reynolds,  Thomas  W.  D. 
Reiley,  Daniel 
Richardson,  Charles  H. 
Roberts,  Edwin  H. 
Ryder,  Thomas  W. 
Sheahan,  James  G. 
Sherman,  Henry 
Shumevvay,  Dwight 
Smith,  Christopher  T.  B. 
Sweeney,  John 
Swift,  Hiram  N. 
Swift,  David  S. 
Taft,  Frederick  F. 
Tape,  Richard  J. 
Thurber,  Robert  B. 
Trenn,  William  H. 
Whipple,  George  O. 


Captain. 
Charles  W.  Thrasher. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Thomas  Moies. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
Daniel  Bush, 
William  T.  Luther. 

Sergeants. 

Edmund  Crocker, 
Charles  H.  Scott, 
James  N.  Woodard, 
John  R.  Anderson, 
George  J.  Fairbrother. 

Armstrong,  George  A. 
Baggs,  Nathan  L. 
Bennett  George  G. 
Baxter,  Ansel 
Binford,  E.  Sylvester 


COMPANY  B. 

Corporals. 
George  Cushman, 
Joseph  Harrison, 
Francis  S.  Shove, 
David  L.  Fales, 
Eben  B.  Crane, 
George  W.  Gooding, 
Hamlet  Wheaton. 

Musicians. 
Ornam  L.  Patt, 
*Frank  M.  Bliss. 

Wagoner. 

William  D.  Jillson. 

Privates. 

Boyce,  Daniel 
Braman,  Henry  T. 
Briggs,  William  H. 
Browne,  Edward  A. 
Callahan,  Thomas 


204 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


Caler,  Jasper 
Carpenter,  James  D. 
Cavanagh,  Patrick, 
Cassicly,  Michael 
Church,  James  J. 
Clark,  Nicholas  P. 
Clark,  Joseph  H. 
Cook,  Warren  F. 
Coyle,  James 
Crowell,  Edward 
Curran,  James 
Dolan,  Thomas 
Daly,  John  P. 
Dexter,  Andrew  J. 
Duff,  Robert 
Elliott,  George  E. 
Elsbree,  William  F. 
Fales,  J.  Henry 
Follett,  Henry  A. 
Follett,  William  B. 
Forsyth,  William 
Fuller,  James 
Fuller,  Theodore  C. 
Gate-hell,  James  L. 
Griffin  Charles  E. 
Grover,  Stephen  A. 
Halvorson,  Canute  A. 
Holland,  Charles  C. 
Hood,  Joseph  E. 
Horton,  William  M. 
Hutchinson,  Henry  A. 
Hennessey,  Michael 
Jenks,  Frank 
Johnson,  Byron  R. 
Kelley,  Ezra  M. 
Killoran,  Michael 


Kno,  Peter 
Lewis,  James  H. 
Lillibridge,  David  R. 
Lindsey,  Thomas  H. 
Mahan,  Barney 
Maker,  Nathan  P. 
Mann,  Gilbert 
McNalley,  Barney 
Moies,  Charles  P. 
McCormick,  Edward 
McCormick,  John 
Mulharen,  James 
McCreighan,  John 
Nickle,  Robert 
Neill,  John  J. 
Nickerson,  Ansel  D. 
O'Donnell,  William 
*Pervear,  Jacob  S.,  Jr. 
Pitcher,  Charles  E. 
Phillips,  J.  Henry 
Phillips,  Levi  C. 
Provost,  Joseph 
Read,  Abel 
Rice,  Thomas 
Rogers,  David  N. 
Sharpe,  Henry  S. 
Sprague,  Daniel  R. 
Sweetland,  Edward 
Trainer,  Michael 
Verry,  Daniel  E. 
Vickery,  Philip 
Warburton,  Percival  D. 
Welsh,  Redman 
White,  Thomas  S. 
Williams,  Henry  J. 
Wilmarth,  Charles  H. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 


205 


Captain. 

Charles  H.  Parkhurst. 

First  Lieutenants. 
William  A.  James, 
William  E.  Clarke. 

Second  Lieutenants, 
Seth  W.  Cowing, 
Albert  G.  Bates. 

Seryeants. 
James  F.  Davison, 
George  A.  Kendall, 
Joseph  E.  Handy, 
Samuel  B.  T.  Crandall, 
IraB.  Wilson. 


Adams,  Samuel  B. 
Aldrich,  Orlin  S. 
Alexander,  Alanson 
Andrews,  William 
*  At  wood,  William 
Bardsley,  Robert 
Brasslin,  James 
Brown,  Charles  W. 
Buchanan,  James 
Burroughs,  Samuel  N. 
Cassels,  Francis 
Charles,  Peter 

Corcoran,  John 

Craig,  James  A. 

Cravin,  Michael 

Coughlin,  Michael 

Dolan,  Patrick 

Donnelly,  John 

Dorrance,  George  H. 

Eddy,  Byron 

Fanning,  George  M. 

Gannon,  Robert 

Glasheen,  Edward 
18 


COMPANY  C. 

Corporals. 
Enoch  F.  Hoxie, 
Joseph  H.  Cheetham, 
Frank  B.  Mott, 
Herbert  Phillips, 
Orrin  S.  Pond, 
Edwin  R.  Simmonds, 
Moses  S.  Eldridge, 
Joseph  Smith. 

Musicians. 
Frank  H.  Williams, 
Asher  H.  Young. 

Wagoner. 

Henry  Bond. 


Privates. 

Gordon,  John  F. 
Gordon,  Samuel  S. 
Gorman,  Matthew 
Gorman,  Bartlett 
Guild,  Joseph  W. 
Handy,  Jacob  B. 
Heck,  John  B. 
Horton,  Royal  I). 
Hudson,  James  R.  N. 
Hudson,  Thomas  D. 
Johnson,  Frederic  D. 
Johnson,  Hugh 
Johnson,  William  A. 
King,  John 
Kelley,  Thomas 
Lewis,  Benjamin 
Lincoln,  Roger  L. 
Lyons,  John 
McCanna,  James 
McCune,  James 
McGuire,  Thomas 
McGinley,  Patrick 
McQueena,  Terence 


206 


HISTORY    OF   THE 


Mitchell,  Samuel  N. 
Morse,  Edwin] 
Mott,  Eugene  A. 
Monroe,  Orin  F. 
Murphy,  James 
Murphy,  James 
O'Connell,  Michael 
Perry,  Edwin 
Pierce,  Philip  D. 
Plimpton,  Silas  W.,  Jr. 
Potter,  Welcome  A. 
Quarters,  Joseph 
Randall,  Albert 
Redding,  James 
Richards,  John  W. 
Salisbury,  William  B. 
Searle,  William  H. 
Senft,  Lawrence 


Sheridan,  Robert 
Simmons,  Levi 
Shippee,  George 
Snow,  Daniel  C. 
Stapleton,  Richard 
Streeter,  Orville  D. 
Talbot,  Lewis  A. 
Tourtellott,  William  N. 
Thiel,  William 
Thomas,  Russell  N. 
Thurston,  Clark 
Thornton,  Reuben  L. 
Updike,  Edward  A. 
Verry,  George 
Verry,  John 
Walker,  Lewis  O. 
Ward,  James 
Wilson,  Charles 


COMPANY  D. 


Captain. 
Thomas  W.  Gorton,  Jr. 

First  Lieutenant. 
John  E.  Bradford. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
Caleb  B.  Harrington, 
William  A.  Champlin. 

Sergeants. 
Albert  G.  Bates, 
Siles  A.  Winchester, 
Joseph  W.  Padelford, 
Jedediah  F.  Trask. 


Abbott,  Chester  C. 
Aldrich,  George 
Allen,  William 
Atkinson,  John 
Austin,  Stephen  A. 


Corporals. 
Isaac  Weaver, 
Edward  Atkinson, 
Andrew  J.  Perry, 
Philip  W.  Kelley, 
William  H.  Rounds. 
Jared  O.  Harrington, 
Franklin  Munroe,  Jr., 
George  H.  Harding. 

Musicians. 
Henry  Miller, 
Edwin  D.  Freeman. 

Wagoner. 
Daniel  C.  Dore. 

Privates. 

Barrows,  William  H. 
Bezeby,  Edwin  A. 
Bissell,  John  G. 
Brownell,  Benjamin  F. 
Brown,  Edward  L. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 


207 


Brown,  John  A. 
Bissbee,  Ezra 
Briggs,  Edwin  A. 
Burt,  Edwin,  Jr. 
Carr,  Isaac 
Cooney,  John 
Cornell,  Edward  A. 
Diury,  Michael 
Dobbs,  William  H. 
Eddy,  James  B. 
Emerson,  George  S. 
England,  William  J. 
Fales,  Orlando 
Fenner,  Alexander  W. 
Fish,  Spencer 
Fowler,  Joseph  G. 
Frost,  Frank 
Gavin,  Edward 
Goodwin,  Edward  C. 
Green,  Henry  F. 
Hawkes,  David  B. 
Hawkes,  Augustus  E. 
Hopkins,  William  H. 
Hopkins,  Henry  W. 
Hurd,  Samuel  D. 
Inman,  Olney 
Jennison,  Thomas  H. 
Jennison,  Thomas 
Johnson,  John  E. 
King,  Thomas 
Kelton,  Nathan  A. 
Kelly,  James 
Lawson.,  Andrew 
Leavitt,  Henry  F. 
Luther,  Edwin  S. 
Manchester,  George  F. 
McManamon,  Joseph 


MeMahon,  Alexander 
McManas,  John 
Merrill,  William  H. 
Mooney,  William  E. 
Munroe,  Edmund  J. 
Mum  ford,  George  A. 
Phinney,  JohnD. 
Pettis,  George  A. 
Peck,  William  A. 
Place,  Elisha 
Plimpton,  William 
Randall,  Charles  F. 
Randall,  George  W. 
Richards,  Porter  W. 
Richards,  J.  W. 
Sedgewick,  William 
Seamans,  Frank 
Seekell,  Thomas  H. 
Searle,  Albert  L. 
Senft,  Charles  F. 
Smith,  Joseph  L. 
Sprague,  George  H. 
Stone,  Daniel  J. 
Taylor,  Samuel  H. 
Thurber,  Ephraim 
Walsh,  Peter 
Washburn,  A.  Judsou 
Walton,  William 
Wiley,  William  A. 
Wiley,  Charles  F. 
Williams,  Alonzo 
Wyman,  William  J. 
Wilkinson,  Pliny  E. 
Young,  Alexander 
Yeaw,  David  A. 
Young,  Joseph 


208 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


COMPANY  E. 


Cftptams. 
Hopkins  B.  Cady, 
Albert  C.  Howard, 
William  A.  James. 

First  Lieutenants. 
James  S.  Hudson, 
William  Stone. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
Frank  R.  Dennis, 
Nathan  T.  Robinson. 

Sergeants. 

Nathan  T.  Robinson, 
Nathan  E.  Irving, 
James  E.  Slocum, 
Frank  Holdon, 


Aldrich,  James  L. 
Aldrich,  Thomas 
Brooks,  Joseph  D. 
Burke,  Davis  C. 
Baker,  Samuel  S. 
Barber,  Robert  F. 
Burlingame,  Sanfonl 
Briggs,  David  S. 
Budlong,  Samuel,  Jr. 
Bishop,  John 
Byron,  Theodore  J. 
Cutting,  George  \V. 
Con  ley,  James 
Cornstock,  Jonathan  P. 
Codding,  Melvin  E. 
Darling,  Edward  E. 
Day,  Elisha  H. 
Danforth,  Ephraim  S. 
Dodge,  William  T. 
Finnegan,  Edward 
Fanning,  John 
Field,  Lemuel 


James  Morning,  Jr. 

Corporals. 

Christopher  A.  Cady, 
Elijah  Rnssell, 
John  Sawyer, 
William  H.  Packard, 
Nelson  E.  Blackmar, 
Albert  A.  Hawkins, 
George  W.  Lindsey,    ' 
Charles  H.  Burt. 

Musirians. 
Albert  Burke, 
Albert  H.  Williams. 

Wagoner. 

William  H.  Leonard. 

Privates. 

French,  James  S. 
Fenner,  Hezekiah  D. 
Farnum,  Joseph  W. 
Ghirardini,  John  H. 
Gardner,  Charles  W. 
Gaddis,  Thomas  J. 
Hadfield,  Charles 
Healy,  Almeron 
Hines,  Patrick 
Healy,  James 
Ide,  Hiram  T. 
Irwin,  Henry 
Kelley,  Daniel 
Knight,  Jeremiah  C. 
Knott,  James  E. 
Kenney,  James  H. 
Luscomb,  William  If. 
Lucas,  Albert  B. 
Lord,  John 

Luther,  William  H.,  Jr. 
Lamb,  George  R. 
Lewis,  George  W.  F, 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 


Manchester,  Thomas  A. 
Mills,  Charles  A. 
Martin,  John,  Jr. 
Mitchell,  William 
Mitchell,  Thomas 
Morrill,  Tappan  W. 
Motlit,  William 
Newman,  John  C. 
Norton,  Samuel  W. 
Northup,  Horatio  N. 
O'Neal,  Robert 
Pierson,  John 
Potter,  John  A. 
Pray,  Albert  G. 
Price,  Ellery  W. 
Rice,  Charles  H. 
Simmons,  William 
Sherman,  Benjamin  F. 
Sweetland,  Nathan  J. 
Slocum,  Amasa 


Captain. 
Edward  Taft. 

First  Lieutenant. 
James  S.  Hudson. 

Second  Lieutenant 
Henri  E.  Bacon. 

Sergeants. 
Edward  P.  Davis, 
Julius  J.  Bosworth, 
Thomas  Rankin, 
George  C.  Hall, 
Charles  A.  Gardner. 


Alexander,  George  H. 
Amesbury,  Samuel  J. 
Armstrong,  Ezra 
Baker,  Kingsley 


Sherman,  William  H. 
Sherman,  William  H.,  2d 
Sherman,  Job  W. 
Sweet,  Charles  A. 
Spragne,  James  H. 
Stanton,  William  O. 
Sunderland,  Daniel  A. 
Sumner,  George 
Taylor,  Albert  N. 
Taylor,  William  H. 
Tanner,  Richard  D. 
Tennant  Daniel  R. 
Tripp,  William  H. 
Vallett,  Gilbert  P. 
Wilkins,  Edward  M. 
Whipple,  Brown 
White,  William  H. 
Wilbur,  George  W. 
Wilson,  William  A. 


COMPANY  F. 

Corporal*. 
John  A.  Rupert, 
William  Major, 
Thomas  Horton, 
Frederic  S.  Fisher, 
Adin  Patten,  Jr. 
Nelson  J.  Cummings, 
George  S.  Pierce, 
J.  Newton  Hunt. 

Musicians. 
Charles  F.  Read, 
Ira  S.  Pendergrass. 

Wagoner. 
William  Earle. 

Privates. 

Branch,  Daniel  S. 
Braley,  Benjamin  S. 
Brown,  Greenleaf 
Bowen,  Samuel  C. 


210 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


Bo  wen,  Hartford 
Bunker,  Joseph  S. 
Brien,  John  O. 
Benedict,  John  G. 
Carlin,  Michael 
Carroll,  Owen 
Campbell,  Andrew 
Case,  William  H. 
Chapman,  Joel 
Chadsey,  Robert  S. 
Cole,  Samuel  D. 
Coyle,  John 
Devine,  William  P. 
Dunn,  Charles 
Evans,  Albert  G. 
Emerson,  Edward 
Follett,  John  W. 
Foster,  Samnel 
Gardiner,  William  I>. 
Graham,  John  S. 
Gridley,  William  J. 
Hogg,  Alexander 
Hoel,  Welcome  S. 
*Horton,  Rensselaer 
Hoyt,  John 
Humes,  William  T. 
Jackson,  James 
Jenks,  Phannel  B. 
Johnson,  Barnard 
Jones,  Oliver 
Kennedy,  James 
Keene,  Asa  A. 
Kennedy,  Joseph 
Locklin,  Thomas 
Lambert,  John 
Lovely,  George 
Lynch,  David  S. 
Mansir,  Alden 


McGoughey,  Joseph 
McGleenan,  Frank 
McGough,  Thomas 
McGrath,  Michael 
McKindley,  Samuel 
McKinsey,  Daniel 
McMann,  John 
McNulty,  Patrick 
Morris,  Henry  J. 
Mowry,  Gilbert 
Mo  wry,  Horace  B. 
Mowry,  Elhanan 
Miller,  John  S. 
Northup,  William  H. 
Nuttall,  James 
O'Gorman,  Michael  H. 
Oat  ley,  Frank  J. 
Oldenburg,  George  F. 
O'Brien,  John 
Pilkington,  John 
Payson,  Charles  G. 
Parker,  Uriah  G. 
Perry,  Henry  C. 
Porritt,  Samuel 
Powers,  Michael 
Potter,  Charles  E. 
Perkins,  Horace 
Rankin,  James 
Read,  John 
Sandford,  Joseph  M. 
Sullivan,  Timothy 
Thatcher,  William 
Westgate,  William 
White,  William  C. 
White,  Samuel  E. 
White,  Edwin 
Wood,  John  U. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 


211 


Captain. 
Amos  G.  Thomas. 

First  Lieutenants. 
Joseph  T.  Snow, 
Charles  S.  Mathewsort. 

Second  Lieutenants 
Charles  S.  Mathewson, 
Amos  Cross. 

Sergeants. 
James  H.  Sweet, 
John  H.  Peck, 
Oliver  P.  Coggeshall, 
George  W.  Guild, 
Daniel  G.  Briggs. 

Allen,  Anderson 
Baxter,  Nathan 
Bickerton,  Charles 
Bicknell,  Hosea 
Brown,  John  C. 
Burns,  Patrick 
Bruce,  Uriah  V. 
Brasley,  Neil 
Card,  William 
Cornell,  Joseph  H. 
Conway,  John 
Connefry,  William 
Cooper,  Henry 
Cox,  John  \V. 
Dailey,  John 
Deery,  John 
Drum,  William 
Dolan  Frank 
Donelson,  William 
Dyer,  Philip 
Gorton,  Nathan  C. 
Grimes,  Thomas 
Gorton,  Elihu 
Gormley,  Peter 


COMPANY  G. 

Corporals. 
James  F.  Fletcher, 
Isaac  H.  Pinckney, 
William  L.  Smith, 
Edwin  A.  Towne, 
George  Rounds, 
James  M.  Hitchcock, 
Samuel  Burr, 
Frank  R.  Dixon. 

Musicians. 

H.  D.  S.  Young, 
Ahner  K.  Miller. 

Wagoner. 

Darius  T.  Morse. 

Privates. 

Green,  James  M. 
Harrison,  Richard 
Hazard,  John  R. 
Hazard,  Walter  C. 
Holson,  Walter 
Holden,  Thomas 
Holding,  Edward 
Horr,  Edward  P. 
Howarth,  John 
Johnson,  Ephraim 
Kaighin,  Charles  T. 
Kelley,  John 
Kent,  Allen 
Kent,  George  -E. 
Kearney,  James 
Leach,  William  A. 
Leonard,  William  H. 
McDonough,  John 
Munster,  Franz 
McCartin,  Edward 
Murtaugh,  James 
McLaughlin,  Frank 
McAvoy,  John 
McCarthy,  Jeremiah 


-2U 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


McCluer,  Robert 
McCluer,  William 
McDonald,  John 
Monahan ,  Michael 
Murray,  Thomas  F. 
McCoy,  Thomas 
Orswell,  John 
O'Donnell,  James 
Plunkett,  Michael 
Reynolds,  John  2nd 
Riley,  Michael 
Reynolds,  Michael 
Reiley,  Owen 
Reiley,  Thomas 
Roeske,  Frederick 
Reynolds,  John  M. 
Ryan,  John 
Ryan,  John,  2nd 


Sherman,  Thomas 
Shader,  William 
Shawcross,  James 
Slaven,  Hugh 
Small,  John 
Smith,  Patrick 
Snell,  Thomas 
Spencer,  George 
Stewart,  James 
Sweeny,  William 
Sweeny,  Joseph 
Taft,  John 
Taylor,  John  D.  W. 
Viall,  Cassius 
Walsh,  Michael 
Webber,  Franz 
Wiley,  James 
Wolff,  John 


COMPANY  H. 


Captains. 

Nathan  F.  Moss, 
Joel  Metcalf,  Jr. 

First  Lieutenants. 
Joel  Metcalf,  Jr. 
Edwin  H.  Burlingame, 
Daniel  Bush. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
William  A.  Champlin, 
Edward  K.  Thompson. 

Sergeants. 

Edward  K.  Thompson, 
George  O.  Taylor, 
Michael  L.  Costello, 
Benjamin  T.  Marble, 


Agin,  Patrick 
Angell,  Frederic  F.  H. 
Ballou,  Henry  H. 


Charles  H.  Bartlett. 

Corporals. 
George  N.  Capron, 
Joseph  Coville, 
AVilliam  M.  Crandall, 
Frederic  Hawkins, 
Arnold  G.  Horton, 
John  McEnnery, 
Christopher  Weeden, 
Horace  L.  Angell. 

Musicians. 
George  H.  Bucklin, 
George  W.  Mathewson. 

Wagoner. 
Thomas  Mulvey. 

Privates. 

Barry,  Stephen  A. 
Bates,  Judson  A. 
Baxter,  John 


ELEVENTH    I{K(!IMENT. 


213 


Bidmead,  Edward 
Boyle,  Hugh  H. 
Branch,  Joseph 
Buckley,  John 
Burdick,  Edward 
Campbell,  David  R. 
Curr,  Michael 
Chace,  Caleb  B. 
Collins,  Owen 
Cox,  James 
Crowell,  George  T. 
Crowell,  Theoi)hilus 
Cummings,  James 
Curley,  Michael 
Dean,  William  H. 
Donnelly,  Charles  H. 
Donnelly,  Francis 
Donohoe,  Michael 
Field,  Joseph 
Fitten,  Richard 
Franklin,  George  \V. 
Galena,  John 
Gallaghan,  Thomas 
Graham,  Henry 
Graham,  William 
Hamilton,  James 
Hazard,  Dennis 
Healey,  Joseph 
Hunter,  William  M. 
Lamly,  Edward 
Lane,  Joseph  M. 
Lothrop,  James  P. 
Luther,  Alfred  W. 
Magee,  James 
Mahan,  Daniel 
Mason,  William  C. 
Masterson,  John  W. 
McCann,  John 
McElroy,  John,  1st 


McElroy,  John,  2nd 
NcDonnell,  John 
McMahon,  Cornelius 
Miller,  William  O. 
Miner,  Hazard  H. 
Mitchell,  John 
Moore,  George  W. 
Morris,  Joseph  W. 
Mullen,  Peter 
*Northup,  Gardner 
O'Brien,  Jaines 
O'Hare,  Andrew  J. 
O'Neal,  John 
O'Neal,  William 
Peckham,  Simeon 
Randall,  James  W. 
lieed,  Josiah 
Kiley,  Lwke 
Royle,  John  T. 
Scott,  James 
Sho3nck,  Henry 
Short,  John 
Simons,  Albert  G. 
Simons,  Joseph  R. 
Simmons,  Isaac  I. 
Smith,  Job  A. 
Smith,  John  W. 
Smith,  Simon  F. 
Smith,  Thomas 
Smith,  William  E. 
Sulley,  Abraham 
Sullivan,  Daniel 
Tiernay,  Michael  W. 
Thorp,  John  W. 
Walsh,  James 
Walsh,  William  F. 
Weeden,  Samuel 
Young,  Amos 


214 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


Captain. 
Joseph  H.  Kendrick. 

First  Lieutenant*. 
Albert  C.  Howard, 
Joseph  T.  Snow. 

Second  Lieutenants, 
Edwin  H.  Burlingame, 
Orville  M.  Remington. 

Sergeants. 
John  B.  Kelley, 
Orville  M.  Remington, 
Nathaniel  \V.  Slocum, 
Fayette  P.  Brown, 
Charles  M.  Smith. 

Adams,  George  W. 
Angell,  Henry  S. 
Anthony,  Henry  J. 
Armington,  Eliphalet  J. 
Ashley,  Joseph  J. 
Atwater,  Edward  W. 
Ballou,  Charles  O. 
Barker,  Alfred  H. 
Barrett,  Charles  E. 
*Bliss,  Franklin  S. 
Boyle,  Nelson 
Brown,  Alexander 
Capron,  Edward  H. 
Carpenter,  Abraham  A. 
*Carpentor,  J.  Marshall 
Case,  Dudley  W. 
Chase,  John  H.,  Jr. 
Clarke.  James  F. 
*Clarke,  William  B. 
Cooke,  Frank  G. 
Cooke,  Henry 
Cranston,  George  H. 
Darling,  George  B. 
Darling,  Samuel 
Davenport,  Samuel  C. 


COMPANY  I. 

Corporals. 
Henrjr  E.  Simmons, 
John  C.  Thompson, 
John'R.  Read, 
Daniel  R.  Allen, 
George  H.  Sparhawk, 
John  A.  Reynolds, 
George  S.  Bo  wen, 
Edward  C.  Coggeshall. 

Musicians. 
Amos  D.  Smith, 
Hiram  F.  Matthews. 

Wagoner. 

Lafayette  Burdick. 

Privates. 

Dexter,  Benjamin 
Dingwell,  James 
Ding  well,  Thomas 
Dodge,  George  A. 
Durfee,  Charles  A. 
Evans,  Barak 
Fuller,  John  B. 
Gay,  Frederick  A. 
Greene,  Charles  B. 
Hall,  George  W. 
Halliwell,  Thomas 
Harlow,  Calvin  M. 
Hawkes,  Philo 
Henrys,  William  R. 
Hunt,  Joshua  M. 
Irons,  Gilbert  A. 
Jacobs,  James  C. 
Kentfield,  John 
Knapp,  George  A. 
Leonard,  Charles  R. 
Luther,  Jonathan  B. 
McKay,  William  A.  * 
McCausland,  Norman  I. 
Medbury,  George  W. 
Metcalf,  Alfred  P. 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 


215 


Metcalf,  Edward  A. 
Meyer,  Hermann  F. 
Miller,  Edward  C. 
Miller,  George  F. 
Northup,  Nathaniel  C. 
Patterson,  John  H. 
Paull,  Albert  M. 
Peck,  James  D. 
Potter,  William  K. 
Kemington,  Edwin  S. 
Kemington,  George  H. 
Saunders,  George  A. 
Saunders,  Robert. 
Shaw,  Henry  B. 
Sherman,  Remington 
Sherman,  Charles  A. 


Shirre,  Peter 
Simmons,  William  E. 
Smith,  Arthur  W. 
Stevens,  Louis  V.  R. 
Sturdevant,  Harvey 
Sumner,  James  J. 
Sumner,  Oliver 
Talbot,  George  A. 
Thurber,  Samuel 
Tillinghast,  George  W 
Tingley,  Hartford  B. 
Tingley,  Xenophon  D. 
White,  Thomas  W. 
Wing,  John 
Winsor,  Sirrell,  Jr. 
Zerega,  John  T. 


COMPANY  K. 


Captain. 
William  A.  Mowry. 

First  Lieutenants. 
James  T.  Edwards, 
Samuel  Thurber. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
William  Stone, 
Samuel  Thurber, 
John  Pitman,  Jr. 

/Sergeants. 

William  W.  Thompson, 
John  P.  Pond, 
Daniel  J.  Viall, 
William  H.  Hedley, 
Myron  S.  Clark. 

Armington,  William  W. 
Arnold,  Owen  S. 
Barbour,  Henry  S. 
Bates,  William 
Bates,  William  P. 


Corporals. 
William  E.  Millard, 
Orlando  P.  Thompson, 
Royal  E.  Jones, 
James,  Bowden, 
Joseph  E.  Brown, 
George  Chace, 
Aug.  W.  Winsor,  Jr., 
Robert  Lander. 

Musicians. 
George  A.  Tanner, 
Charles  W.  Osborn. 

Wagoner. 
Joseph  R.  Williams. 


Privates. 

Baker,  Ermin 
Bell,  Jonathan  E. 
Biggins,  Henry 
Blanchard,  John  H. 
Borderi,  Charles  L. 


216 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


Bowen,  William  H. 
Bowen,  William  S. 
Briggs,  George  N. 
Buisnow,  Francis 
Butler,  William  J. 
Chace,  Albert  H. 
Chare,  Matthew  A. 
Cornell,  William  L. 
Collins,  John 
Collins,  George  W. 
Dexter,  Charles  H. 
Fisher,  Henry 
Gerlack,  Charles 
Gerlack,  Otto 
Green,  Albert  K. 
Green,  Henry  F. 
Green,  William  P. 
Greenman,  Walter  P. 
Goff,  Thomas  L. 
Goddard,  Josiah  II. 
Goodspeed,  Solomon  A. 
Gould,  Everett 
Gunn,  Richard 
Hall,  Edward  B. 
Hale,  Worcester  N. 
Howard,  William  H. 
Howarth,  Benjamin 
Rowland,  Isaac  B. 
Rowland,  Benjamin  C. 
Holmes,  James  L. 
Holmes,  Frank  D. 
Hicks,  William  F. 
Hull,  Edwin 
Kent.  George  W. 
Kent,  William  H. 
Lee.  Amos 
Leach,  Joseph  H. 


Leith,  Thomas  P. 
Lindsey,  Malcolm 
Little,  Robert  B. 
Little,  Christopher 
Lofty,  Thomas  J. 
Meegan,  Francis 
McKanna,  James  F. 
Mil  lard,  Charles  W. 
Murphy,  Matthew 
Nye,  Henry 
Olney,  Elisha  R. 
Osborn,  Charles  E. 
Palmer,  Edward  A. 
Patterson,  William 
Phillips,  George  N. 
Pearce,  George  T. 
Riley,  Charles 
Robinson,  Henry  G. 
Roe,  John 
Rourke,  John  C. 
Selden,  Charles 
Schoenfell,  Carl 
Seiler.  Robert 
Shepley,  Edwin 
Snow,  Florence  E. 
Sutton,  William  H.  H. 
Stone,  Amos 
Taylor,  Henry  F. 
Tetlow,  James 
Thompson,  William  H. 
Townsend,  Samuel  I. 
Vaughan,  Walter  R.  I). 
Watson,  William  P. 
Westcott,  William  H. 
Wilkinson,  Edward 
Winsor,  Albert  W. 


If  ecru  it. 
McKenzie,  John 


ELEVENTH    REGIMENT. 
THE  TWELFTH  REGIMENT. 

"  The  Twelfth  regiment  were  at  this  time  encamped  near  Fairfax 
Seminary,  and  the  officers  of  the  Eleventh  cordially  invited  the 
officers  of  the  Twelfth  to  dine  with  them  on  Thanksgiving  day. 

"  The  large  log  house,  used  for  mess-room  by  Colonel  and  staff, 
for  public  worship,  and  for  evening  school  in  drill  by  the  officers, 
served  for  dining-room  on  this  occasion.  The  tables,  well  laden 
with  Rhode  Island  turkeys  and  '  fixin's,'  were  surrounded  by  about 
seventy -five  officers  of  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  sandwiched  in 
together,  all  of  whom  brought  to  the  repast  hungry  stomachs  and 
willing  minds. 

'•Ample  justice  was  done  to  the  edibles,  and  many  a  story  was 
told  and  joke  cracked.  All  enjoyed  the  occasion  as  a  rare  treat. 
The  officers  of  the  Twelfth  evidently  appreciated  the  hospitality  of 
the  Eleventh,  while  those  of  the  Eleventh  en  joyed  the  acquaintance 
of  their  brethren  of  the  Twelfth." 

19 


THE    EM). 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

RENEWALS  ONLY— TEL.  NO.  642.3405 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


•t 


LOAN 


V 


APR031S99 


YB  37852 


is/5208066 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


